Back To Good
by J. ROOF
Summary: A British soldier is killed and his wife must make a decision. Remarry or leave camp. Bordycentric. Rated M for later chapters. 9/6/2012 Revised for tidy reading and cleaner ending.
1. Chapter 1

For the Bordy fans out there...

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1.

_South Carolina, August 16, 1780 _

There were many things Theodora Whalen Edwards never seemed to notice about her surroundings the day her husband Captain Ramsey Edwards -or Ram to his friends- passed away.

That's not to say she wasn't paying attention, but there were simply too many distractions. And she was trying to heed what Ram was saying to her about more important matters. Like where the money was stashed and how to reach his family. But those things were only shadowed by the heartbreak in his voice when he told her how much he loved her and how sorry he was for any pain he might have ever caused her.

"Teddy," he whispered, struggling with a ragged breath. "My only regret was not giving you a baby…"

With that, the uniformed Dragoon who had been standing behind her turned slightly as if he shouldn't be listening to this private conversation. In a sense Teddy was relieved. She didn't know this man at all, had only glimpsed at him around the camp on a few occasions. But when she rushed into the hospital tent only moments ago, he was speaking to her husband, crouched by his cot, as she was now. She wished he would just go away.

Ram's speech was interrupted with a fit of coughing. The chest wound he had received early that day at Camden made him wheeze and he fought to catch his breath.

That idiot rebel General Gates had marched his troops in to battle early that morning, only to be outnumbered by His Majesty's finest soldiers. The battle didn't last long, with Gates and his men running like scalded dogs from the British forces. But it had lasted long enough for Ram to be gravely injured.

That is what the doctor had said, _gravely injured_, just before he told her there was nothing to be done other than make Ram comfortable and wait.

It would later be said that Camden was an easy victory for The Crown. Out of a little over two-thousand, only two-hundred-fifty or so of His Majesty's men were wounded that day. And only about seventy would die. _Only…._

Teddy soothed her husband with quiet words as he settled back down and wiped the bloody spittle from his mouth.

"Teddy….I want you to be happy…"

"Shhhh…enough now, Ram. You have made me happy, very happy," Teddy said quietly, forcing a smile. She leaned closer and kissed her husband of five years as he took his last breath and died.

Suddenly the noise and the scents of the hospital tent assaulted her senses.

She stood and turned to find the Dragoon still standing like a vulture behind her. He looked past her at the cot and his eyes flicked back to her.

Then he said in a rather deep voice, "Mrs. Edwards, I am Captain Bordon, Green Dragoons. Your husband and I were at Eton together. I am very sorry for your loss."

His expression was flat. There was no sympathetic smile like most folks she knew always gave when someone died. But there was something sincere in his countenance and she thanked him. Then Teddy quickly left before she lost what little composure she could manage.

Due to the August heat, that afternoon, the first of the dead were buried side by side, just as they had served. Teddy stood alone at her husband's grave as a chaplain said a quick prayer while some young privates shoveled earth over Ram's barely cooled body.

She thought of the five years she spent with Ram. All of their loving moments, their arguments, tears and laughter came crashing on her like a tidal wave of emotions. Teddy felt sick and a rushing heat flooded over her. She fought for control over herself but she refused to swoon. She would have to be stronger than that now without Ram there by her side to comfort her.

_Without Ram._

The thought overwhelmed Teddy and she swallowed the lump in her throat and swayed.

Someone took her elbow in a firm grip and steadied her. Teddy turned and was startled to find the Dragoon she had met earlier standing behind her.

What was his name again? She struggled to remember. Captain something. And as if he read her mind, he identified himself again.

"Yes, Captain Bordon. Ram's schoolmate. Thank you for coming," she said tonelessly.

The captain frowned and asked, "Mrs. Edwards, may I escort you back to your quarters?"

She nodded absently and he led her away.

Captain Bordon had to ask her twice in which direction her tent was. And she finally got her bearings and told him. Her mind was reeling, she couldn't think straight if her life depended on it. Everything felt surreal and it seemed as though all this was happening to someone else.

The captain didn't speak, he simply guided her and she was thankful for that.

Teddy didn't particularly want to socialize at the moment. She was too numb to be charming and polite. She really didn't want to be near anyone at all, but Teddy was grateful for the captain's arm. Everything was moving so fast; her life seemed to be spinning out of control and she felt as though she was about to go right along with it.

As they walked Teddy wasn't exactly sure how her feet continued to move.

Her knees buckled slightly and she stumbled. But Captain Bordon was surprisingly quick and caught her. He slipped an arm around her waist and held her to his side, ushering her along. It was as though he knew she was fighting for her dignity and he was allowing her to keep it.

After they seemed to have walked for miles, they finally reached her tent and he led her inside. He sat her down in a chair and said almost sternly, "Sit down before you fall down, Mrs. Edwards."

Then he poured her some water from a pitcher on the table into a tin cup and handed it to her. Watching her while she drank it like a parent forcing a child to eat something they didn't care for. That's when she actually noticed his appearance for the first time.

Captain Bordon was a tall man, almost six feet tall if she had to guess. He was burly and broad shouldered compared to Ram, who had been just as tall but lean and lanky. And whereas Ram was dark in eye color and hair, Captain Bordon was auburn haired and blue-eyed. He had a long, straight nose and thin lips, which he was now pressing together as if he wanted to say something but wasn't quite sure if he should.

Captain Bordon shifted his weight to one hip and clasped his hands behind his back.

"Mrs. Edwards," he said. "I just wanted to say once again how sorry I am for your loss. Your husband was a good man and a valiant soldier. And if there is anything I can do to be of assistance at this time, please let me know."

Teddy set her cup down and sighed. She looked around the tent that she had been calling home for so long. No matter where her husband went, she followed. Breaking down and setting up house in the small canvas shelter. It wasn't much, but it was all she had. And soon she knew that even this would be taken from her. Her life with Ram would be reduced to nothing more than the few personal items they had collected, packed away into a couple of trunks.

She felt weary and her voice sounded it as she said, "Thank you, Captain. I know you mean well. But unless you can figure out a way to get me home before I'm forced to leave, there isn't much you can do for me."

"Where is home, ma'am?"

His face seemed to brighten at the prospect he might actually be able to help her but then fell again when she told him, making her laugh nervously.

"About seven-hundred miles from here in Trenton, New Jersey."

Right smack in the middle of the Continental Army.

"I see," he replied. "And how do you plan on getting there?"

"How do I plan?" She said laughing bitterly. The irony was killing her. "I hadn't planned for anything other than a life with my husband when this mess is over. I hadn't planned on him dying that much is certain."

And then Teddy became angered as she continued, "Oh sure, I knew it was a possibility. But silly me, what was I thinking? I married a man my parents hated, broke their hearts and ran away with a soldier. Now he's gone and I have four weeks to contact my parents and ask them to take me back."

She looked up as his non-plussed expression and said something vulgar and nasty, just because she could. She wanted a reaction. She wanted someone to hurt like she did and it might as well be him.

"It's not as if I have many options. It's leave or turn myself out to men like you who want to get a leg over in exchange for a few coins tossed on my nightstand."

He blinked. That was all. Just one blink. No scowl, no harsh response. And then Teddy regretted saying it all. Because for one thing, she had no idea if Captain Bordon even took part in such activities. Secondly, he was trying to be helpful and she had treated him, an officer none the less, with rudeness.

"I'm sorry," she said. "That was uncalled for. My only excuse is that I'm tired and I haven't eaten today. I know you're just trying to help and I thank you."

He held up a hand to stop her. "I understand. You just lost your husband. Think nothing of it," he said somberly and then added thoughtfully, "There is another option you might consider."

"And what might that be?"

Captain Bordon looked away for a moment and then took at deep breath as his eyes turned back towards hers. "Get married."

_"Get married?"_ she said incredulously. She had certainly not anticipated that response. It wasn't uncommon for army wives to remarry quickly after burying a husband so they could remain protected in camp. She even knew one woman who had married the brother of her husband after he died. But the thought of getting married again was not an idea she liked. "And just who would I find to marry me, Captain Bordon?"

"Me. In name only of course. Just until you are settled at home. Then we can file for an annulment." He stated it all so matter-of-factly. As if it was so simple. And when she closed her gaping mouth and thought about it, it was.

She watched him again for a moment, considering his strange proposal and asked, "Why? Why would you do this for me?"

"As I said Mrs. Edwards, you're husband was a friend of mine and he was good one too," he explained calmly. "And I would be remiss if I failed to make some attempt to look after you. I would not expect you to perform your wifely duties, conjugal or otherwise. This would simply be a temporary arrangement until we can find a way to get you home."

"I wouldn't have to sleep with you? I would just go about my business?" She asked skeptically.

"You would be under my protection, of course. But no, I would not expect anything from you."

Maybe this wasn't such a bad idea after all. Or maybe she was just going insane from her grief. But all that aside, she would need his help and his protection. He could very well be some lecher. Or he could possibly beat her, he was certainly big enough to do some damage. He seemed nice enough and genuine. And well, hell….

"I assure you Mrs. Edwards, I do not beat women, nor have I ever been accused of lecherous behavior. I only want to help you in honor of Captain Edwards," he said with just a hint of irritation in his voice.

It surprised her and then she realized what she had done.

"I said that aloud, didn't I?"

Her question was answered with a lift of his chin and a raised eyebrow.

"I'm sorry," she said sheepishly. Then she stood and held out her hand. "I accept you're proposal, sir. Thank you for being so considerate of me."

Instead of shaking on it as she intended, Captain Bordon took her hand and gave the back of her knuckles a chaste brush with his lips.

Then he said, "You are most welcome, Mrs. Edwards. I will notify you within a few days about the arrangements. Do not worry about a thing. In the meantime, get some rest and if there is anything you need-anything at all, you let me know and I will see to it. Goodbye for now."

And with that he left her.

Teddy sat down on the bed and then flopped back on the mattress.

"Good Lord, what have I done?"

She reached over and snatched Ram's pillow and clutched it. She pressed it against her nose and inhaled his scent.

Then, she broke down and cried.


	2. Chapter 2

2.

Within a few days of his proposal, Captain Andrew Bordon had made all the necessary arrangements for a marriage to Theodora Edwards.

He wasn't exactly sure why he made the suggestion in the first place. It just felt like the right thing to do at the time. As his long- time friend Ram Edwards lay dying he asked Bordon to watch over Mrs. Edwards. And she had looked so panic stricken when she told him she worried for her future now that her husband had passed.

"Look after my Teddy," the Infantry captain said desperately to Bordon that fateful day. "She's a sweet girl but it's doubtful her family will want her. Send her to mine if you must…."

Bordon had no intention of marrying her or anyone else right now for that matter. He imagined his parents had probably already chosen a nice English girl for him to marry, or at least had a few in mind. And if that was what he was obliged to do, then he would carry it out when he returned home rather than face his father's wrath or disinheritance. But Captain Edwards' plea had struck a cord with Bordon and when Mrs. Edwards admitted she had no idea what she would do next, the thought just came to him.

He couldn't fathom the notion of allowing oneself to be disowned by family for love. And he hoped for Mrs. Edwards's sake that Ram's family would be willing to take her in if her family would not. It could take months to find out; months she didn't have. Bordon had felt a duty to see to it that Theodora Edwards was looked after until she could find a home for herself. That was the precise and only reason he had asked her to marry him. It would be a simple solution to a temporary problem. And being that officers were almost always expected to marry, it was possible he might benefit from the arrangement as well.

It wasn't hard for Bordon to understand why Ram had chosen his wife Teddy- as he had called her. As boys at Eton and even during their younger days racketing about London, Ramsey Edwards always seemed to go for the dark-haired, blue-eyed beauties. Bordon could see as plain as day that Mrs. Edwards certainly fit that mold the minute he saw her. She was average height, slim built with the blackest hair that shined like satin and eyes as blue as periwinkles. She was very pretty in the face with a clear ivory complexion and a smile that could be described as quite lovely.

Had she been a good wife? Would she make a good wife to him? He had no idea and could care less. Mrs. Edwards would be nothing more to him than a bunkmate. Someone he would co-habitat with until it was time for her to leave.

The day they were married Bordon was surprised to find his intended to be a bit nervous. He couldn't understand it. He thought he had made it very clear to her that he wished nothing more than a marriage in name only. She would be free to live her life just as she had before. He was a reasonable man after all and it wasn't as if she hadn't done this before. By her own admittance she had run off with Edwards and that would have taken at least some fearlessness on her part. But now she seemed as jumpy and nervous as a virgin bride and he hoped it was the circumstances causing her hands to shake rather than a trait in her personality.

As far as Teddy was concerned, she had every right to be nervous. And as Captain Bordon took her hand and they repeated their vows she tried to control her nerves. They had no marriage contract and even if they had she knew there was nothing that would guarantee a marriage in name only.

As her husband he could discipline her as he saw fit and even bed her, regardless of her wishes. He could take away every freedom she enjoyed and the courts and laws of the land would always side with him. She had to trust that he would indeed honor their agreement and take him at his word. Blind trust was a difficult thing for her to swallow yet she found herself wanting to trust Captain Bordon.

Teddy had been lucky with Ram as her husband. Because she had married him so young at the age of seventeen, she never realized the power a husband could wield over his wife. That is until she began to see how other soldiers and officers treated their wives. It was rarely the pretty picture of love and companionship that most young girls imagined and certainly not the partnership she enjoyed with Ram. She wondered what he would say if he could see her now.

There were no flowers and no special dress for the occasion. Teddy simply wore the nicest gown and petticoat she had and of course Bordon was in uniform. She kept the wedding band Ram had given her, as there was no sense in Bordon purchasing her a new one. There was to be no kiss and they were witnessed only by one man who introduced himself as Bordon's commander, Colonel William Tavington.

After the chaplain pronounced them husband and wife, Bordon and Teddy shared their wedding dinner in the officer's mess. It didn't really matter; she wasn't concerned about all the niceties most brides expected on their wedding day. What she was concerned about most was her safety and when all this would end and she could go home. Wherever that might be.

Theodora Bordon -as she was to be called now- discovered two things about her new husband that day. One, was that his middle name was Patrick and two, was that he would be gone from camp quite a bit with the Dragoons.

Captain Bordon took her 'home' to his quarters and gave her a quick show around, explaining that her things had been already moved to his tent. Then he told her to make herself at home and left on patrol. So she did.

A few days later, Teddy watched as Captain Bordon passed their tent three times before he noticed her sitting under the fly she had added. Ram had purchased it years ago and it served as a sort of sun porch for those hot Carolina days when the heat inside the tent proved too intense to tolerate. Teddy hated to see it go to waste and brought it with her. She also added a small folding table and chairs for dining alfresco or chatting with friends and fellow officers over for a friendly game of cards. Considering she had no real home of her own, entertaining a few of her husband's friends was something she always enjoyed. Teddy always tried to make them feel welcome, knowing that most were missing their own homes and families and she hoped she would have the opportunity to continue with that duty.

When her husband saw her he stopped dead in his tracks and looked up at the fly. Without a word, he stepped past her and pushed back the tent flap.

Bordon couldn't believe his eyes. His quarters had been transformed into something he barely recognized. His new wife had indeed made herself at home. Aside from the tent fly and table and chairs outside, Teddy had also done a bit of redecorating to the inside.

The first thing he noticed were the quilts she placed not only on the camp cot he provided her with, transforming it into something that looked more like a real bed, she had also spread one across his bed. Her trunks were neatly stowed in the corners and she had added a few candle lanterns and sconces along the tent poles for additional lighting. An old wool blanket had been hung for privacy and one of her trunks hadn't been a trunk at all. It was actually a folding cupboard of sorts and it now held kitchen wares and a few provisions for making and serving light meals or tea.

As he took in all the changes he heard her ask, "Well, do you like it?"

Bordon wasn't sure how to answer because he wasn't sure he did like it. He stepped over to his desk to see if anything had been done to it and found it as he had left it.

"You said I should make myself at home," he heard her say a little more timidly now.

"Yes, I did," Bordon replied grimly. But when he turned to her, he saw a pleading in her face that made him soften. He couldn't bring himself to say anything negative and instead he told her, "It looks fine. You did well."

As the weeks went by and the Bordon's became better acquainted, Teddy started to notice certain things about her new husband. The most noticeable and appreciated habit he possessed was that Captain Bordon had impeccable personal hygiene.

Every time he came in from a regular patrol he wanted hot water to wash and a shave, never letting his beard growth come anywhere near the three day limit. Whenever he was gone for more than a few days at a time he insisted on a full bath-even waiting to eat sometimes until he could have one.

The amusing thing was, he never once asked Teddy to assist him as most husbands would. He never expected her wash his hair or scrub his back or have his water ready. Even Ram wanted his back washed from time to time. But Bordon only expected her to leave him in peace and privacy for a while, giving him time to complete the task. And since she always liked being around a good clean man, Teddy didn't mind at all.

Teddy was also learning how to gage his stony facial expressions. Considering she had yet to see him crack a joke let alone a smile, she figured when his face brightened, he was happy, or at least content and possibly eager about something. When his brows darted up, he was surprised. When he frowned or scowled, he was either very engrossed in what he was doing at the moment, or he was he was upset about something. Since he always seemed to be looking at her when he held that expression, Teddy assumed it was the later. But every now and then his expression would soften and something would flicker in his eyes, yet she could never quite figure that one out.

He always slept on his back or his belly and sometimes not at all. Many nights she would leave him at his desk pouring over paperwork or maps only to find him in the same position the following morning.

Teddy also discovered that Captain Bordon was the second son of The Earl of Westcliff. As one of the oldest titled families in England, they held a vast estate in the southern county of Hampshire. Even though Bordon wasn't in line for his father's title, Teddy understood that he was under a certain amount of pressure from his family to do well for himself in every way possible. And that wouldn't include her- a minister's daughter.

Pretty soon the two of them began to get on each others nerves.

It started out with simple things really. And always seemed to take place in the evening hours after supper and before bedtime when they were most likely to be alone together. When most newlyweds would enjoy spending some quiet time together, the Bordon's bickered and fussed like children.

It usually started when Bordon would become irritated over some trivial thing that Teddy always seemed to be doing. Like the fact that she was always misplacing her things and then expecting Bordon-when he was there-to help her find them. The worst of it for Teddy came when she lost a silver aigrette Ram had given her when they were first married. Fed up with her seemingly lack of care for her belongings, Bordon had refused to help her look for it.

Not only was Teddy hurt when Bordon refused her, but she was heartbroken over the sentimental loss and realized the hair ornament was probably gone for good. But then so was Ram, and it was then that Teddy decided it was probably time to start moving on a little. She reminded herself that the aigrette was just a material possession and the most important thing were the memories behind it.

Bordon made a hasty comment one day out of aggravation with Teddy, saying that she was common and she talked too much. Teddy refused to speak to him for three days. Not a single peep was uttered from her lips. At first, Bordon relished her silence. But when the captain finally left for another patrol, he couldn't understand why he felt so unsettled over not hearing her usual "Good-bye, Andrew and be safe."

Of course the first chance Teddy had, she threw the comment back in his face, completely catching him off guard.

One evening while he worked at his desk he noticed her pour a mysterious pink liquid into a mug and drink it. Curious as to what it was, he asked casually, "What are you drinking?"

"Strawberry wine," she answered, refilling from the stoneware jug. "I'd offer you some but I doubt you'll like it."

Bordon's eyebrows darted up. "What makes you say that?"

"It's common and it might make you talk too much," she retorted smugly. "We wouldn't want that now, would we?"

Bordon stared blankly at her for a minute. Then he quietly turned back to his work and said nothing else.

They argued over her hanging her wash out on a line where everyone might see it. Teddy could have cared less and said she refused to wear dirty clothing for weeks at a time like most Englishmen did, knowing the barb would irritate Bordon. She knew in his case it wasn't true anymore than it had been for Ram. But nor was it something he could deny in the case of some of his fellow officers. Teddy also knew he would take the cut personally, and of course he did.

She could have moved the line to a less conspicuous location. Or, she could have taken her laundry to have it washed by one of the laundresses around camp for a few coins. But knowing that it irritated him to see her shifts, stockings, and other garments hanging on the line right out in the open gave her a sense of vindication. So, she did it anyway.

Then there was a bit of a quarrel over her boredom which escalated into something Teddy could only later describe as priceless.

In Bordon's opinion, Teddy always seemed to hover constantly to the point of nearly driving him to madness. She didn't mean to hover so much, but the fact was he never let her do anything for him and there was only so much that needed to be done for herself. Bordon however began to think of it as her way of pestering and frustrating him the way he knew other men complained of their wives and he didn't appreciate it one bit.

"Do you not have something else to do?" He asked her one night with an irritated tone.

"No, I don't because you won't let me do anything around here," Teddy answered pointedly. "I sit around and do nothing while you're here and I sit around and do nothing while you're gone"

He looked up from his desk and considered her a moment and then asked, "Do you read?"

"Of course I do," she replied frowning. She knew plenty of women who could not read-even women above her station. But the way he asked the question made it sound condescending, as if he were trying to mock her intelligence. And she was really starting to tire of his haughtiness.

"I have a collection of Shakespeare you would be welcome to. You might enjoy _The Taming of the Shrew_," he suggested with an inflection that implied she might learn a lesson from the story.

"Oh ha! _The Taming of the Shrew_," Teddy snapped. "How very funny. Shakespeare bores me. I found your copy of _Arabian Nights _much more entertaining.

"You read _Arabian Nights_?" he asked incredulously. Now she was getting a reaction.

"It was on your shelf," was her succinct reply.

"Such a book is hardly fit for a lady," he said. A blush started to creep up his face. Teddy couldn't believe it. He was a captain in the army and he was blushing over her choice of reading material. Reading materials that she had chosen from his own collection. Oh, this was so much fun. Teddy couldn't resist goading him on.

"What?" She said with a casual shrug. "It's not as if it was _Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure_."

"_You_ have read _that_…that…obscenity?" Bordon sputtered. His face was beet red now. It almost matched the color of his uniform jacket.

Teddy laughed with delight at his apparent embarrassment. "Not exactly," she admitted wryly and then added for extra shock, "Ram read it to me."

Bordon's eyes widened with horror. He opened his mouth to say something and snapped it closed again.

Teddy chuckled. Picking up her tea she left him in stunned silence to sit outside and enjoy the evening air a bit. The Honorable Captain Andrew Bordon was so different from her easy going Ram. Ram was a joy to be around. He had an intense sense of duty to The Crown just as she knew Bordon did. But Ram loved life and he loved to laugh. And she wondered how much more of her antics Bordon would tolerate before he reached his breaking point. Even more so, she wondered when would she reach hers.

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Just for the record..._Arabian Nights _as it's known in English is a book of folk tales originally written in Arabic during the Islamic Golden Age. It was translated in 1704 as _Arabian Nights' Entertainment_. The most recognized stories from the collection include Sinbad the sailor, Aladin and Ali Baba and his forty theives. However, some of the tales also consisted of some erotica and would have been considered scandalous for an 18th century woman to read.

_Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure _(aka _Fanny Hill _or _The Life and Adventures of Miss Fanny Hill_) was written in 1748 about an English maiden that turns to prostitution when her parents die. In those days, it was considered pornographic. Especially when one considers the artwork. By today's standards at best it would be considered smut.

The Earl of Westcliff is a fictional title I added as a nod to romance author Lisa Kleypas.

An aigrette is an 18th century precursor to the modern hair barrette.


	3. Chapter 3

To Esther, and Bordy blankets...

...every girl should have one.

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3.

The weeks turned August into the first of October and Theodora Bordon still had no word from either her family-or that of her deceased husband's.

That didn't surprise her; she knew it could take months to get word from any of them. However, her situation with Bordon hadn't improved much either. And although he had given his permission to allow her to volunteer some of her time around camp, Teddy was at the point where she was happier to see him leave for patrols than she was to see him return.

Today, like most days, she had taken some time to help in the hospital tent and as always her help was greatly needed.

A bilious fever had taken its toll on the camp and several of His Majesty's finest were ill. The surgeons, physicians, and apothecaries were overwhelmed by it and on top of that, bands of Colonial Militia were popping up all over the countryside to skirmish with British troops.

The duty had fallen on Teddy to look after the patients with the fever, while the doctors and surgeons took care of the injured and more seriously ill.

At first, it was very difficult for Teddy. Every day she had to push herself to block out the smells and the sights of sickness and death that awaited her. But soon she found her niche with wiping the fevered brows, patting the hands and coaxing the dry lips of the sick soldiers to drink whatever concoctions the doctors ordered. She found most of the lads she tended to, were men and boys a long way from home and just needed simple comforting.

Teddy was dog tired when she left the hospital that evening. She was hungry, she felt grubby and she knew she smelled bad. Earlier in the day, before she left her tent, she had thought with enough foresight, to leave herself a tub of water with a kettle on the fire ready to heat it with when she came home. As she walked back to her tent Teddy felt a light chill in the air and wondered if they were in for some rain. She wrapped her arms around herself and rubbed them warm. The coolness only made her long for her bath and bed even more and she couldn't shake the disappointment when she saw the glows of candles coming from her tent. Bordon was back and her kettle was missing.

_Damnation!_

Sure enough, Teddy found Bordon inside dressed in clean shirt and breeches, combing out the wet locks of his hair. She needn't bother to see the remnants of her bath tub fantasy cooling in the corner.

Teddy's shoulders slumped in obvious disappointment as she asked, "What are you doing here?"

Perplexed, Bordon tilted his head slightly.

"Well?" She demanded.

"These are my quarters," he answered tersely. "Or perhaps you've forgotten."

"And I suppose you used all my hot water as well?"

"If by your hot water you mean that which was in the kettle, I used most of it for my bath but there is still enough for tea."

"It never occurred to you that perhaps that water was meant for _my_ bath?"

Teddy was disappointed in his lack of consideration for her but she couldn't quite put her finger on why. She should be used to it by now. She couldn't understand why he had offered to help her in the first place. Maybe it was because he did feel a certain duty towards Ram. But why the need to constantly let her down?

Teddy had hoped that throughout this little marriage of convenience she and Captain Bordon could at least be amiable towards each other. But he was turning out to be an arrogant, pretentious ass, that looked at her as if she were nothing more than something to occupy space. His answer only served to prove her point.

"Yes it occurred to me. But as you were not here and I found myself needing a bath, I took one. I'm sure if you hurry the water will still be warm," Bordon said as he tucked in his shirt.

Teddy wanted to throttle him. But then she had an idea how she could really rile him.

Bordon could not understand why this woman was constantly provoking him. At first he thought it was probably due to her grief but now he assumed it must be some type of flaw in her character. It seemed as though the only time she was pleasant towards him was when she wanted something. He could barely open his mouth without offending her. That only served to add to the enormous amount of pressure the Dragoons were under to find the so-called Ghost and someone known as The Swamp Fox, and it was wearing on his patience.

The Colonial Militia had taken to guerrilla tactics, attacking supply lines, destroying bridges, making roads impassible and killing off every British soldier they came across. This made Lord General Cornwallis angry and when he was angry he made Colonels Tarleton and Tavington very unhappy. Being that Colonel Tavington was Bordon's commander and Bordon served as his aide, when Colonel Tavington was unhappy, he made Bordon absolutely fucking miserable.

Of course his wife wouldn't know this- it wasn't her place to. But right now he had half a mind to knock her arse down into that tub, clothes and all. Instead, he said something he knew she would find snarky and by the look on her face, he had struck his target.

Without a word or even a second glance, the little harpy began to disrobe in front of him. Not even so much as a blush would cast over her skin as Teddy stared him down while her clothing quickly made a pile of dirty laundry on the floor.

She was beautiful.

To say that Captain Bordon was a bit gob-smacked would have been putting it mildly. He wanted to look away. He knew he should look away. But what made matters worse, Bordon couldn't look away. Teddy was like nothing he ever remembered seeing before. When she turned and sat down in the tub, beginning her ablutions, Bordon saw _all_ of her.

Teddy's blue eyes never once left his as he stood there in stunned silence. He detected a certain triumph in them and managed to gather what remained of his wits. Bordon was only left with one option. He stepped back into his boots, grabbed his waistcoat and left.

Teddy laughed as Bordon stormed out of the tent leaving her without a word.

Then for some reason she let the stress of the whole scene get the best of her and she broke down and cried. She had no idea how much more of this she could take. But what really frustrated her- what really made her angry at everyone including herself- was that she honestly had no idea what to do about it.

Teddy finished her tepid bath, put on a fresh shift and wrapped up in her blankets. She never managed to fight off the chill she had taken and decided to crawl into bed and forget today ever happened.

She had no idea what time Captain Bordon came in, she was already asleep. But later she woke to the sound of rain patting the roof of the tent. And the unmistakable dampness of the cold weather crept up through the canvas cot, chilling her to the bone. Teddy quietly stalked over to where Bordon slept, tempted to steal back the quilt he was tucked under. She didn't steal his blankets. She did however do what most Northern girls did in her situation. With cold hands and feet and chattering teeth, Teddy added her blankets to his pile and crawled in with him.

"What do you think you're doing?" Bordon grumbled at her in the dark.

"Trying to get warm. My cot is freezing," she said, nudging him. "Move over."

"I hardly think this is a good idea…" he protested.

Teddy cut him off. "Oh stop being such an old woman. People have been bundling together to keep warm for ages."

He turned away from her with a grunt and she settled against him back to back, smiling to herself at the gasp he made when she rested her icy feet against his bare calves. That would teach him not to steal her bathwater.

Bordon couldn't believe her audacity, but being too tired to fight, he allowed her this one battle. And later when he woke again, he regretted it.

He must have rolled over at one point while he slept. Now his bed mate was sound asleep, tucked against him, her back to his chest, her feet entangled with his legs and God help him, her bottom…well, it was best not to think about that right now.

The crook of Teddy's neck was being supported by the bicep of his arm and Bordon was trying to think of how he might be able to pull away without waking her when he realized his other arm was tucked up under the soft warmth of her breasts. What he didn't realize, was that Teddy lay there awake as well, thinking about the same thing.

She had been dreaming about something that totally escaped her mind when she opened her eyes in the dark. She could still hear part of the dream echo away, mingling with the sound of rain outside the tent. Yet instead of the cold dampness that had awakened her earlier, she found herself engulfed in warmth. Bordon had settled on her like something that could only be described as a toasty, man blanket.

Teddy was used to sleeping with a man so it did not bother her that he was pressed against her so intimately. What bothered her was the tinge of guilt she felt, as if she were betraying Ram. She forced the thought from her mind and turned into Bordon's chest. Reveling in the heat, the soothing rise and fall of his breath and the comfort of being held, Teddy settled back to sleep.

The following morning Teddy woke to find herself alone and couldn't deny her disappointment. She wasn't sure which one of them had finally cracked. But she knew when she woke in Captain Bordon's arms during the night that things might possibly improve between them. Maybe she had finally gotten comfortable enough with him, and he with her, that they could set some of the hostility aside.

She started her morning by dressing and making her way to mess so she could break her fast before beginning her daily routine.

Teddy glanced around the busy tent, hoping to find Bordon or maybe a friendly face to dine with when she heard a familiar and flirtatious male voice from behind say, "If it's me you're looking for, darling, I'm right here."

She turned around to find the smiling face of a young Dragoon she had recently taken care of. He had been very sick with what the doctors thought was something called yellow fever and Teddy was glad to see him finally up and about.

"Good morning, Colonel Tarleton. I'm glad to see you feeling better. As happy as I am to see you, I was actually looking for my husband."

"Your husband?" Tarleton said with a disapproving glance that ended with a curve in his lips.

"Yes, Captain Bordon. Do you know him?"

"Captain Bordon is your husband? He asked skeptically. His eyes widened as she nodded. Teddy had astounded the young commander, but she wasn't sure why.

"I know it must be hard to believe, Colonel," Captain Bordon said as he stepped up to Teddy's side. "but this is my wife Mrs. Theodora Bordon."

Colonel Tarleton was rendered speechless for a moment and then he grinned saying, "Well done, Bordy…well done indeed."

Bordon guided Teddy over to an empty table but he remained rather quiet while she ate her breakfast. She knew something was on his mind and left him be. When she finished, he escorted her out and she walked with him through the camp, knowing he was heading back to their tent and was about to ride out on patrol-again.

"Teddy," he said keeping his voice low. "You would do well to keep your distance from Colonel Tarleton."

"I happen to like him." Teddy did like Colonel Banastre Tarleton. He was young and handsome, very athletic and only two years her senior. She hated the fact that he had been so ill but truth be told, she looked forward to tending him while he was. And why shouldn't she have some friends?

"That is always the trouble with Ban," Bordon explained. "Women always like him and he likes them. Nonetheless, it would be very bad for both of us if you gave the appearance of being interested in his attentions."

Teddy looked at him a little puzzled. Bordon wasn't demanding anything; he wasn't being snide or uppity with her. He was suggesting- gently suggesting- that she stay clear of Banastre Tarleton. Yet somehow he sounded more serious about this request than anything else he had asked of her up to this point.

Then Bordon stopped in his tracks and placed his hand over hers, pressing it against his arm. "Perhaps, just for the sake of your protection and my reputation it would be best if we….behaved in a more...married fashion in public."

"You're afraid he would cuckold you?" Teddy asked, always searching his stoic face.

"As I said, it would be very bad for both of us," he told her.

Teddy lingered around the tent while he gathered his gear and left her wondering exactly how she should go about proving her marriage in the public eye.

It wasn't that she was offended. She knew in this case he was right. It was fine for a married officer to engage with some of the camp prostitutes, but frowned upon to engage another officer's wife in an affair. Not that it didn't happen, but it was bad for morale and bad for the cuckolded officer's reputation.

It would also be a bad idea to give the impression that Captain Bordon wasn't protecting what was seemingly his to protect. That could only result in harm coming to Teddy. So she decided she would go and give Captain Bordon- her new husband- a good-bye more fitting of a young married couple. If anyone doubted their marital status after that, they were blind or stupid.

Teddy found him near the stables with Colonel Tavington and about fifteen other Dragoons mounted and ready to ride out.

_Oh lord, he's already mounted! _Teddy thought as she summoned her courage and called out to him anyway.

Wondering what she could possibly want, Bordon glanced at his commander who gave him an approving nod and he brought his horse up to meet her.

Teddy had been running to catch him and was now standing there breathless. She looked up at him and crooked her finger so he had to bend down to hear what she had to say.

"I almost forgot to give you a proper farewell, Andrew," she said. The rapidness of her breathing made it almost sound seductive. Teddy slipped a finger under his chin strap, pulling his face down to hers and kissed him.

The kiss wasn't anything passionate. It was just a sweet, simple kiss that Bordon couldn't stop himself from returning. When she broke it, she let go of his chin strap and Bordon sat upright in his saddle. Then he saw it; the expectant look in her eye that always made his guard go up.

Captain Bordon was used to people looking at him as if they wanted something from him. Either because of who his father was or because of his military rank. But with Teddy it was different. She was the only person he'd ever known that made him feel lacking in character for not giving it.

Teddy wondered for a moment as Bordon's gaze lingered on her if she had just made enormous mistake. Then his expression softened and there was a change in the look of his mouth. A change that to anyone else would have been written off as a twitch or a tic. But to Teddy who had been waiting and watching for it in his every stolid expression for the last six weeks, it was a smile.

She stood there very pleased with herself and called out as he rode back towards his men, "God's speed…..husband."

The Dragoons may have been out of Teddy's earshot by the time they left camp. All the same, Bordon could not mistake the mocking sound of Captain Wilkins imitating Teddy's parting words in a falsetto voice. He also couldn't mistake the amused expression on Tavington's face. Nor could he resist the urge to quip back.

"Jealous bastards!"


	4. Chapter 4

Thanks E! You pretty much beta'd this one for me!

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4.

Captain Bordon sat at his desk in his tent one afternoon, attempting to block out the sounds of his wife's singing and concentrate on the task at hand. Paperwork!

Although in the last few weeks Bordon seemed to be getting along better with Teddy, he felt that his life had started to fall into a_ before _and _after._

Before Teddy came into his life, things were less complicated, easier to handle. He never felt like he needed to answer to anyone other than a superior officer and occasionally his father. Now he had Teddy always questioning where he was going and when he would return, knowing that he could not share that information.

He thought foolishly that they may have come to an understanding about what would be expected of her. However, she still managed to do all the things that drove him insane. Such as now- Teddy was hanging her wash out for all the world to see, and singing.

"_I met a young gii-iirl there with her face as a rose…._

_And her skin was as faaaa-aiiiir as the lily that grows…"_

God help him. Bordon sighed and sat rubbing his temples.

His thoughts were soon interrupted by the arrival of Colonel Tarleton.

Although Banastre Tarleton was his superior, he and Bordon knew each other well enough to dispense formalities and Bordon simply gestured to the racket Teddy was making.

"Do you hear her singing?"

"Well who could miss it?" Ban said. Then seeing the grimace on Bordon's face he quickly added for reassurance, "It's lovely."

"Do you not hear _what_ she is singing, Colonel?"

_"I laid this girl doooown wiiiith he-er face to the sky_

_I took out me raaaamrod, me bullets likewise_

_Saying, Wrap your legs roooo-und me, dig in with your heels_

_For the closer we get, Ohhh, the better it feels..."_

A slow smile started to creep on Tarleton's face and he quietly sang along.

_"The birds, they were singing iiiin the bushes and trees_

_And the song that they saaaang was, Oh! She's easy to please_

_I felt her heart quiver and I knew what I'd done_

_Says I, Have you had enooough of me old sporting gun..."_

"Colonel!" Bordon chided.

But Tarleton simply glanced at him and then turned in the direction of Teddy's voice and in a rather dreamlike voice said, "I…. _adore_ her."

"I think she does it all just to spite me, you know," Bordon said suspiciously.

Tarleton ignored Bordon's complaint and tossed a sealed missive on the desk.

"Cheer up Bordy! The honor of our presence has been requested. _We_ have been invited to a ball. I know how much you enjoy those," he said laughing sarcastically.

Bordon hated balls and Tarleton knew it. He just could not resist ribbing him a little under the circumstances, knowing that Bordon was still distressed about his new wife. But Tarleton liked Teddy Bordon a great deal. She reminded him of his younger sister Bridget in her attitudes and humor. He had also heard through the gossip mill around camp, that Bordon had married her as a favor to a friend of his- to assist Teddy in finding a way back to her family in Trenton. It gave him a certain respect for both of them and he could only regret that it would eventually end.

"I'll be expected to take _her_," Bordon said tersely.

"Take me where?" Teddy said as she breezed into the tent. She greeted Tarleton with a warm hello and a smile and then repeated, "Take me where?"

"We've been invited to a ball at Middleton Place," Bordon informed her.

"Oooohh!" Teddy said, her face brightening. She plucked the invitation from Bordon's hand and glanced over it.

"See?" Tarleton smiled approvingly. "She said, 'Ooohh.' I think she enjoys attending balls."

"She may very well enjoy them," Bordon replied. Then he leaned back in his chair and directed his gaze to Teddy, saying with a sigh, "But can she behave at a ball?"

"Of course I can!" Teddy said indignantly. "I was married to an officer before I married _you_, remember? You don't think he and I were invited to balls?"

Tarleton observed the volley between the couple with great interest. For a moment he couldn't help but feel a little of Bordon's pain. Teddy was a firecracker; a definite challenge to Bordon's reserved nature. Together, they were just down right entertaining.

On the day of the event itself, Bordon and Tarleton were both every interested to see Teddy make her appearance at Middleton Place. And when she finally came down the staircase to meet them, Bordon was astonished and Tarleton was smitten.

The burgundy taffeta gown she wore served to compliment her complexion and coloring, giving her hair a darker, richer appearance- if that were possible. The gold trim and ivory lace gave the simple cut gown an elegance that was not too ostentatious. Her hair had been arranged in intricate plaits and ringlets on the back of her head and her jewels were simple as well but tasteful. Bordon could not find fault and breathed a small sigh of relief as she took his proffered arm. He had to admit, his little wife looked damn fetching.

To both officer's dismay, Teddy was not seated anywhere near either of them at supper. Tarleton wanted the company but Bordon's motives for wanting to sit near his wife consisted of a need to keep a close eye on her.

After supper Teddy found herself on the terrace watching the guests stroll on the expansive lawn. Her husband was not with her. He was on the lawn next to the walkway chatting with Captain Wilkins, who Teddy had come to know as a very charming Loyalist. He was tall, rather nice looking and he probably should have been a grenadier. But he had recently bought a commission with the Dragoons, and as usual he was using his Southern charm to chat up a couple of ladies while Bordon looked utterly bored.

Teddy was thankful for that. Her husband had barely spoken a word to her since they left camp. Had Andrew been fawning over these women like Wilkins…..

She caught Banastre Tarleton stealing up beside her and turned and smiled. She knew she could always count on him for a laugh. To Teddy, his friendship was worth the risk of a little gossip.

"Teddy my darling…Teddy my duck…lets stroll through the garden and I'll give you," he broke off raising an eyebrow and finished dramatically with, "…a flower." He bowed slightly and presented Teddy with a yellow rose that she guessed he had swiped from one of the massive arrangements inside.

She gratefully took it from him with a smile and twirled it between her fingers. Then she snapped the stem, jamming the blossom into her hair and turned her attention back to her husband and his company.

Noticing Teddy's constant glances at Bordon and his female companion, Banastre said nonchalantly, "It looks awful."

"What does?"

"Her hair," Tarleton said with disgust. "Those pearls…they're awful."

Teddy smirked. "I was contemplating the cut of her gown."

Tarleton continued to mock with a tisk, "And that print! Who killed the couch?"

The two chuckled for a moment.

"Thank you, Banastre," Teddy said with sincerity.

"You're welcome, dearest," He returned with a grin, leading her towards the ball room.

Teddy never had so much fun dancing in all her life as she did on that night. That is of course after some of the younger officers in attendance bribed all the musicians to play something livelier. When they did, the dance floor filled quickly with couples trying to join the sets.

The older folks took themselves elsewhere, finding the music and loudness of the country dances a bit too stimulating. But Teddy was having the time off her life and she danced with everyone who asked her.

Banastre was an amusing partner as Teddy knew he would be and Captain Wilkins was of course delightful as always. Teddy danced with a few of Ram's fellow officers. They all shared their condolences and commented on how well she looked and wished her the best.

Teddy even managed to get a few dances in with Bordon. This seemed to surprise most of his friends who claimed he rarely ever danced.

Bordon was amazed with Teddy's behavior. He could not believe he was with the same woman that had been raising hell with him constantly for the last two months. She was assured and graceful without being audacious. And God bless her for not being a giggling twit like some of the ladies he had been compelled to speak with that night.

He was pleased when he was able to persuade her to take a turn with him in the gardens Middleton Place was known for.

As they leisurely strolled the torch-lit pathways under trees draped with Spanish moss he felt the need to say something.

"I assume you are having a lovely time this evening, Teddy?"

"Yes, thank you," she answered almost awkwardly.

It was then that Bordon realized he had never really paid her any compliments so he tried to remedy that.

"You look stunning by the way. I meant to have said something earlier."

Teddy glanced up at him with a faint blush on her cheeks.

"Thank you. I was thankful for the ladies maid. She was such a help getting me dressed. Do you realize how difficult these gowns can be?"

"Only when I'm trying to remove one," Bordon said wryly.

Teddy gasped and turned to him rather shocked. "Andrew Bordon," she said with astonishment. "Did you just make a joke? You _did_!"

Bordon could say nothing to confirm or deny the accusation. He could hardly believe he said it himself. Still, the sound of Teddy's laughter rewarded him and he wanted to laugh along with her.

When Bordon mentioned that Colonel Tarleton concurred with his opinion, he meant that as a compliment as well, but Teddy went a little on the defensive.

"Oh do stop harping on me about the time I spend with Banastre," she said with an irritated tug on his arm. "I know of his reputation, I'm hardly an idiot about those things. I think of Ban as the older brother I used to wish I had. Someone who'd defend _me_ for a change. And not because they're honor or duty bound, but because they know I'm in the right."

"Calm down," Bordon gently ordered her. "I was not accusing you of creating a scandal with him. It was truly meant as a compliment."

Teddy smiled and Bordon was relieved. He really did not want to argue with her this evening.

"I suppose you would never dare do anything that would cause a scandal. Would you, Andrew?"

Something in her tone challenged him and he couldn't help but take the bait. He wanted to flirt with her for some reason although he had no idea why. She would probably turn it around on him like she usually did and then he'd be standing there like a fool, not knowing what he said wrong.

"Only enough to create gossip for a few days," he answered. Then an idea struck him and he led her into a busier section of the garden where he knew a few other guests would be roaming about.

"Observe," he said, gesturing to a couple of old ladies who were about to pass by. He turned to face her and pulled her close. "Participate if you wish."

Bordon slowly leaned in and kissed Teddy on the lips to a chorus of whispered comments such as, _"Oh my word!" _or, _"Shocking!" _and his all- time favorite, _"Well, I never…" _

Teddy was indeed stunned. Not so much over the reaction they were receiving but by the fact that Bordon had the nerve to do such a thing. He had actually kissed his own wife-in public!

But that moment was all shattered the instant a supply ship anchored on the Ashley River suddenly exploded.

Bordon and Teddy stood there in shocked silence and somewhere in the distance they heard the shrill voice of a woman exclaim, "Oh! Fireworks…How lovely!"

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Just for the record...The title of the song Ban and Teddy sang is called The Bonnie Black Hare, and it was rather bawdy to say the least. You can Google the lyrics and find YouTube videos of people singing it even today. So apparently, it's still popular but God only knows when it was actually written.

Middleton Place is still in Charleston and is well known for it's historic value and it's exquisite gardens.


	5. Chapter 5

Dear readers, It's so cold here in Ohio. A whopping 24f as I write this. I decided I needed to warm things up.

Enjoy, and Happy Holidays!

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5.

After listening to Colonel Tavington rant for an hour or two after the explosion, Captain Bordon managed to get his hands on a bottle of brandy and a glass and made his way back to his room.

It was late now and he expected his wife would be bathed and asleep in bed considering those were her plans. Instead, Bordon found Teddy where he had left her earlier, by a bathtub- now steaming, struggling to remove her gown.

He almost stepped out of the room again but he was tired now and angry over Tavington's arse ripping tirade. All Bordon wanted was to sit quietly by the fire and enjoy a drink-or two or three. He would try to give her some privacy but Bordon wasn't going anywhere. Teddy would just have to deal with his presence.

When she turned Teddy was startled to see Bordon there. She was expecting a maid to return and help her out of her gown. Unfortunately it was only him and he didn't look very happy.

As much as the taffeta gown had made her feel pretty when she dressed for the ball, she now wanted the blasted thing off more than anything. She was dying to sink into her waiting tub and soak the weariness of the day's events from her body and go to bed. Teddy would need help with that, and Bordon would just have to do.

She approached him as he was about to sit in one of the upholstered chairs by the fire and stood with her back to him.

"Would you be so kind as to help me with my laces?" She asked politely, unable to mask the exhaustion in her voice.

She heard him sigh and say, "You seemed to be doing just fine. Besides, I am no ladies maid."

For whatever reason- reasons she would never begin to comprehend, Teddy decided to needle him a bit. She turned her head to look at him over her shoulder and replied with a coy smile, "Obviously I am not doing fine on my own or I'd be in that tub by now. And _you _were the one who claimed to be an expert on removing stubborn gowns."

Teddy turned away as he set his bottle and glass down. "Alright then, we shall do this _my_ way," he replied in a warning tone that made her shiver.

She felt the feathery slide of his hands at her shoulders. He brushed her hair aside with a finger and placed a kiss at the top of her spine.

Teddy hadn't expected that and it took a few seconds to register in her brain what she was feeling. Another warm kiss and his large hand snaked around her waist; Teddy closed her eyes at the feel of the masculine body pressed against her back. She felt a slight tug on the laces of her gown and the heat of his hand as it slid in one long stroke up the silk bodice to the swell of her breast, giving it a gentle squeeze. No ladies maid had ever done that.

But what Teddy felt most; the sensation that seemed to overpower everything else was the feel of his hot mouth traveling across her skin as he nuzzled and nipped at the softness of her neck. It sent streaks of heat all the way down to her toes. The next thing she knew, her sleeves sagged and her gown was coming down her arms and being pushed off her hips, followed by layers of petticoats. She would have never noticed if it hadn't been for the rustling sound the fabric made as it fell in a heap to the floor.

With a sigh, Teddy gave in and let her head fall back against his shoulder. She felt a coolness wash over her midriff as her stays came off and then all that was left were her shift and stockings. Teddy wondered if he would stop now and secretly hoped he wouldn't. She still wasn't sure what was happening and at the moment, she felt too good to care.

Bordon did not stop. Bordon felt her pulse racing under the most delicate skin as he tasted her neck. His mouth and tongue sought out every sensitive place he could discover. Every sweep of his hand was an exploration; a fragrant spot behind her ear, the tender juncture of her neck and shoulder.

In his own mind, Bordon was a bit confused as well. He never intended to introduce her to his passion. He knew he shouldn't allow this to happen; that it would only complicate matters more. Yet the primitive side-the side of him that had wanted her since the first time he saw her naked- kept nudging the gentleman aside until it was no more than a faint voice in the back of his mind.

He turned her gently in his arms and finally kissed her lips, sinking into the warmth of her mouth. This kiss was new for Teddy. The kiss they shared at the stables and in the garden were for show. But this kiss was fierce and possessive. His lips smooth and firm, commanding her mouth to move with him. His tongue stroking and persuading her to let down what few defenses she had left. Teddy kissed him back fervently. She wanted to respond in whatever manner he wished her to. Not just to satisfy him, but to see where he would take her.

She should be pushing him away, she was playing with fire; Teddy knew that. Something had become uncorked inside her and it dawned on her just how lonely she was and how much she missed being touched by a man. Teddy felt a difference in Andrew compared to Ram and she was thankful for that. She didn't want Andrew to kiss her or hold her or make love like Ram- it would have been too cruel. Yet Captain Bordon was affecting her in ways she never thought he would. This was not the simple touching of comfort and companionship as he had just began to show her in the previous weeks, this was passion.

Bordon lifted her arms and placed them around his shoulders, broad and hard. His arms locked about her and he lifted her feet off the floor. He knew he should stop now but he couldn't bring himself to do so. He sank into the chair behind him, drawing her down to straddle his lap. In this position he could tease and fondle her as he pleased. Her shift was rucked up to her hips and in one fluid movement, he lifted it over her head and was rewarded with the sight of the two most perfect breasts level with his face- exactly where he wanted them.

Bordon skimmed his hands lightly up the backs of Teddy's thighs, making her jolt. He leaned forward, breathing her sweet scent and licked. Teddy gasped and nearly collapsed against him. He held her firm, tormenting her with his lips and tongue until he felt her desperately clutching at his shoulders for more. Only then did he draw her closer to take the peaked nipple into his mouth, and suckle.

Teddy moaned and the sound of it gave Bordon a sense of satisfaction, discovering that he could bring that out of her. His hands continued to caress and stroke her back while he feasted on her breasts. Teddy's fingers slid over the rippled curl of his hair and she dipped her head to nuzzle and kiss his head, his brow, his cheeks, his lips.

She looked down at his face and watched as the line of his lips suddenly altered into what she knew now as his brand of smile. Something wicked briefly flashed in his blue eyes and then he touched her. Teddy tried to squirm away as a delicious sensation stabbed through her. His fingers followed, she could not escape him and judging by the expression on his face, Bordon knew it.

With a moan she closed her eyes and felt her entire body sag against his hands- his wonderfully talented hands. Bordon drew her into another bruising kiss and began stroking her.

Like magic, his hands sculpted over her curves, powerful, experienced fingers played a dallied with her. She closed her eyes and shuddered as his fingers penetrated and retreated, caressing and petting her. When she finally couldn't take any more of his seductive torture she convulsed against him, her cry muted by his devouring kiss.

Minutes later, with her warmth still slumped around him, his hands still cupping her naked bottom, Bordon glimpsed at the ivory curves of her and envisioned a time where he might be able to explore her a little further. His fantasies about her raven hair and her lips alone were reason to make him imagine enough lustful thoughts to send him to hell for eternity. It would be so simple to unfasten his breeches and take her right now.

Eyes narrowing, gaze unfocused, he considered things.

When this interlude began, Bordon felt more than confident about the control he could easily gain over her. But now, he wasn't so sure who it was that had been in control in the first place. While he was unquestionably the more experienced of the two, Teddy had an eagerness, an enthusiasm and a confidence in her own sexuality that Bordon had never encountered before. Whores were paid to please; wives had a duty to tolerate their husband's needs. Teddy was like neither. There was no passiveness in her; she had already more than proved that. He pushed and she responded. It pleased him to see her please herself. It was an odd concept for Bordon.

His taste for women had grown jaded over the years and Teddy was like a novelty. She had radiated and her passion had affected him like a drug. He wanted more of her yet he knew she was not for him. He also knew that if he bedded her, from then on, every woman he was ever with would be compared to her, and found wanting. That revelation only deepened his resolve not to take her. It wouldn't matter if it ruined their chance of their planned annulment; there were always ways around that. What mattered was that he knew she would ruin him for any other woman and he would never want anyone else but her. That wasn't an option.

Teddy's face was still hidden in his shoulder and he patted her bottom to make her stir. She moved in his lap, making him grunt as her knee brushed across the erection barely hidden by his breeches. She sat back and studied him. Her lips were bruised like crushed cherries and her carefully coiffed hair was a mess. She looked positively debauched and again, Bordon couldn't deny the primal sense of achievement.

"You," he said resuming his stony façade, "have a bath waiting. And if you don't hurry, your water will turn cold." With a few flicks of his fingers and wrists, Bordon had divested Teddy of her garters and stockings and then added with a soft peck to her furrowed brow, "I know how much you hate that."

Teddy wriggled and carefully eased out of his arms. She stood before him in all her glory, looking…..dejected.

"What about you?" She asked.

His jaw hardened and he shook his head, waving his had dismissively. "I'll deal with it."

Teddy took this to mean he would see another woman. Perhaps the lady with the pearls. At first that thought made her laugh to herself and then it almost made her sick. She was quite surprised when she finished her bath and after donning a clean nightgown, found Andrew asleep in the bed. Teddy climbed into the massive thing and in the morning, thought it odd that two people could finally have so much space to sleep and yet end up wrapped in each other's arms anyway.

That was when Teddy made her decision. She would convince Andrew that they should stay together. She was determined that somehow, she would make it happen. Not by trickery or deception. She would win him.


	6. Chapter 6

Yeah, yeah, yeah, I know I should really update my Tav fic first but one has to write while the muse speaks and right now Bordy's the one that's talkin! Hope everyone had a nice holiday!

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6.

Once the Bordon's returned to camp following the ball at Middleton Place, Teddy was steadfast in her decision to make things work out well for herself and Captain Bordon. She had no idea how she would manage that; Ram had always been so much easier to impress. She could always bull his boots, pick over his uniforms or find a way to make or buy his favorite treats from England if she wanted to make him happy.

However, Teddy had known Ram much longer and she was never sure what Bordon would appreciate or take offense to. Although she still hadn't figured out a way to worm her way into Bordon's heart, Teddy continued to do everything she would normally do. She kept their quarters tidy and worked with the patients in the hospital tent while he was away. When he was there, she tried not to bother him too much and she made sure she slept in his bed. Not so much for the warmth anymore, but because she liked it.

Since their interlude at Middleton Place, Teddy longed to know her husband in a more biblical way but she knew better than to push him. As much as he seemed so stiff and proper at times, she now knew there was a very passionate man lurking inside. At night, once they were settled in bed and she was sure he was sleeping, she would slip her arms around him, memorizing his body and the way he felt against her. She would breathe in his scent and stroke his hair- and he never seemed to notice. If he did notice or began to stir, Teddy would feign sleep or pretend she was merely stretching herself.

Then one day, after speaking to Colonel Tarleton, it came to her attention that Captain Bordon would be returning to camp soon. For once, she would be able to prepare for his return. She could make sure his bath water and clean clothes were ready. And maybe…

When Bordon finally did return to camp, he made his way to his quarters with Colonels Tarleton and Tavington, along with Tarleton's adjutant, Major Hanger and Captain Wilkins- since he knew the area so well- hot on his heels.

They planned to sit and discuss some new intelligence they had regarding their Ghost and Swamp Fox. Since Bordon had the space with his newly acquired table and chairs, he would play host, hoping that his wife would be at her usual duties in the hospital tent.

When they arrived however, Bordon was slightly irked to discover that in fact, Teddy was there. She was standing over the fire, stirring some unidentifiable mixture bubbling in a pot. Whatever it was, it smelled good. But it was unlike Teddy to actually cook anything, so as Bordon gestured to the pot, he had to ask, "What's this?"

"Supper," she answered with a short laugh.

"Smells wonderful," Wilkins remarked casually as his stomach growled audibly. His lips turned up in a boyish grin and his cheeks turned pink.

Teddy told him to sit and she dished up a plate for him. Everyone but Wilkins- who wordlessly took his seat at the table and waited- looked at her almost pleadingly. Bordon could hardly believe that with the promise of home cooked food, Teddy had reduced four of the finest Dragoons he had ever served with to puppy-eyed beggars.

Teddy just laughed and told them all to sit and go on with their meeting while she went for more plates. She also brought out a loaf of fresh bread, hunk of cheese and a bottle of wine he had never seen before. As she set everything on the table Bordon asked her where it all came from. He was half afraid to hear the answer but her face brightened as if she had the juiciest bit of gossip ever to share.

"I saw these two young boys today walking through camp with the biggest rabbits and I asked them where they came from," she began to explain.

"They told me they killed them with their slings and were going to skin them for their pelts and feet. I sweet talked them into giving me the meat. At first I was going to fry them and make some gravy and went to the cook to ask him for some lard. He said he didn't have any to spare- which I highly doubted. But anyway, he offered me the vegetables and suggested I make a stew- so I did. And you must be a favorite of his, Andrew, because then he gave me the wine and the other things….Oh! And a lovely apple tart and he told me not to worry about it because officers pay for their meals whether they eat them or not. Can you believe that?"

"No," he answered skeptically.

"Alright," she relented with a guilty expression. "I paid the boys to go kill the rabbits for a shilling each and the pelts. I convinced the cook that it wasn't fair that you pay for your meals even when you're not there to eat them and guilted him into giving me the rest."

Tavington choked and brought a hand up to cover an obvious smile, Tarleton and Wilkins didn't bother to try to cover their grins and Major Hanger made a comment about what a resourceful lass she was. This surprised Bordon considering that Hanger usually kept himself to making inappropriate comments at times like these. The second explanation she gave didn't surprise Bordon nearly as much as her previous version and he left it at that.

As he tucked in to his supper and discussion, Bordon had to admit, it was nice of her to have something ready and hot to eat on their return. He appreciated the fact that he would not have to rush through the planning of the Dragoon's next patrol in order to get to the mess hall before they stopped serving for the night. To top it off, the stew was very good and when the sound of clinking forks and lip smacking was over, he felt a bit of pride when his fellow officers thanked his wife for the fine meal. Nor could he mistake the brilliant smile she gave in return.

Teddy cleaned up the mess and scrubbed out the pot and dishes silently, allowing the officers to plan their next move. Bordon felt he knew her well enough to trust her with what little information she might pick up overhearing them and approached the subject of finding and capturing the elusive rebel militia hiding in the swamps.

Teddy half-heartedly listened to the officers gripe about this "Ghost" and "Swamp Fox" when an idea occurred to her. She thought of making a suggestion but she wasn't sure how it would be taken. She listened to them struggle for ideas on how they could flush out the enemy that was making their lives hell. Apparently Cornwallis wanted things done in an honorable and gentlemanly manner- as if war could ever be gentlemanly. So Teddy just decided to come out with it.

"What about a brace of hounds?" She said not meaning to interrupt them, but doing so anyway. "They could sniff out the rebel camp."

By now a few other Dragoons from Tarleton's legion as well as Tavington's had joined the group crowded at the table and they all turned their head slowly to look at Teddy.

"Mrs. Bordon, dogs cannot track a scent over water. The swamps are surrounded by water," Tavington informed her as if she were the stupidest woman in the world.

"Bloodhounds can," she countered ignoring his condescending tone. "Slave catchers use them all the time to track runaways. In Trenton, I once watched one track a little toddler girl who was lost in a cornfield. They just gave the hound her cap to catch her scent and he went right after her. Found her alive and well too."

Colonel Tarleton slapped his hand on the table and said, "I think that is a capitol idea!" To which Tavington retorted with a snort, "You would."

"Colonel, where are we going to find a brace of bloodhounds trained to track humans?" One other Dragoon asked his commander.

"For the right price I'm sure we could hire them," Wilkins piped in. "I've used slave catchers before. They have no loyalty but to themselves. For a handsome fee, they'd take the job."

There were murmurs and debates about the idea and then it seemed as though it was dropped. Teddy was a little disappointed they didn't run with it. After all, it sounded more productive than burning people out of their homes in an effort to scare up information and she was only trying to help. As usual, they blew it off and she couldn't help but wonder if it was truly a bad idea or if it was because they couldn't abide using the idea of a silly woman and she eventually left them and turned in for the night.

In the morning, she woke alone again and wondered where Captain Bordon had gone off too. She also woke to a rather scratchy throat and stuffy head and thought she might be coming down with a cold.

After she dressed and had breakfast, she still had not discovered her husband's whereabouts and decided to go hunt for some rabbit tobacco to ease her cold symptoms.

Rabbit tobacco would be the perfect remedy this time of year now that it's leaves had turned silver. The tea made from it would chase away a sore throat, break up any mucus in her chest and shorten the length of a cold. If she were brave enough to inhale its pungent smoke, the herb would also clear her stuffy head. It was best to find some now before she started to feel too poorly and so Teddy set out with a knife and basket and wandered the countryside near camp looking for her remedy.

Before she knew it, she had a basket full and was just starting to stuff another bunch into it when she heard someone speak close by. Teddy stopped suddenly aware of her surroundings. She was a bit farther from camp than she would have liked, but she listened again and then Teddy saw them. A small group of men standing in the trees watching her watch them. Regardless, they were either rebels or deserters and at that point it didn't matter which, Teddy knew she was in trouble.

Before the men could make a move, Teddy dropped her basket, picked up her skirts and ran like her feet were on fire and her ass was about to catch. She knew if she couldn't escape, no matter who these men were, they could definitely harm her.

Teddy could hear them behind her, shouting to each other that they must catch her and she forced her legs to run faster. Crashing through a small copse of trees, hoping to slow them down, Teddy leapt over fallen logs, scattering birds and small wildlife in her path. Branches and twigs whipped against her face and legs. She hardly noticed; her only concern was getting to safety.

Teddy reached a familiar clearing and realized she was close to camp. She started calling out for help but was so breathless she wasn't sure if anyone heard or not.

As Teddy continued running like a mad woman she suddenly felt the Earth tremble under her feet and when she saw what was causing it she was struck with terror like she had never felt before in her life.

To her left, British Legion charged towards the her right, where The Green Dragoons had ridden over a ridge. That's when she remembered they had discussed a training exercise between the two unit's the night before. Teddy was caught between them, right in their path.

If Teddy was terrified of being raped and murdered by a group of deserters or rebels, she was even more terrified of horses and had been since she was a child. It never bothered her so much being close to one that was well under control. But she never rode and she certainly didn't like the idea of being trampled to death by two legions of the charging brutes.

She would never make it to the other side before they clashed. She tried to turn and run back the way she came but at the sight of the men chasing her she decided that wasn't such a good idea either. She couldn't think well enough to figure out alternate escape and instead, stood there frozen like a deer and praying they would ride around her.

As they came closer she made out the faces of the commanders as well as her husband and Major Hanger.

They looked like The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse with their minions riding straight out of hell. As she closed her eyes tightly and waited for them to either pass her or trample her, her father's sermons on Revelations came to mind.

_And when he had opened the second seal, I heard the second beast say, "Come and see."_

_And there went out another horse that was red: and power was given to him that sat thereon to take peace from the earth, and that they should kill one another: and there was given unto him a great sword._

Indeed, War, Conquest, Famine and Death were coming straight for her.

Teddy opened her eyes and saw Tarleton's eyes widen when he realized she wasn't going to move. He urged his mount to part from Major Hanger's side, who followed his commander's lead splitting the legion in two. Teddy couldn't bear to watch them and yet she was too afraid to move. Where could she go? There was no place left to run.

She shut her eyes again, covering her face with clenched hands. The sound of thundering hooves was too much and she said a heartfelt, "God, please have mercy."

Then, just as she felt the beasts bearing down on her, she was plucked up from the ground. An arm wrapped tightly around her waist and she was slammed onto Bordon's lap. Teddy didn't have to look at who her savior was to know it was Bordon. She could tell precisely by the way he felt who it was.

He hadn't even slowed his horse but kept up with the punishing pace of the charge. It scared the hell out of her and she almost wet herself. Teddy knew in her heart there was no longer a reason to be afraid but her body overrode her rational thought. She began to tremble, then shake and eventually, even though she fought it, she sank into blackness.

Bordon couldn't understand what on Earth Teddy was up to when he saw her running across the training grounds. That is until he noticed the men chasing her. As soon as they saw the Dragoons charge, they ran off, back into the trees where they had come from. His wife was not going anywhere. She wasn't even trying to get out of the way and as they rode closer he saw the look of sheer terror on her face.

Even though Tarleton had moved to give her a wider berth, Bordon knew he had to do something to keep her from panicking and getting herself trampled.

There were too many men riding hard behind him to give him room to slow down. Bordon had to lean low into his mounts stride and scoop her up with one arm.

He heard her cry of alarm as he landed her in his lap. She buried her face in his coat and grasped him so tightly it squeezed the breath from him. Then her body shook and relaxed and when he glanced down at her face, he realized that she had fainted.


	7. Chapter 7

7.

When the charge finally slowed, Tavington brought his mount around and demanded to know what the hell had just happened.

Bordon could only tell him what he had guessed; that a group of men who meant to do his wife some type of harm had chased her into their training exercise. He didn't know who or why but he knew his commander would find out. Even if it was simply to punish the idiots who had disrupted his training.

He was relieved when Tavington seemed to accept that explanation and even more so when his the colonel gave him leave to see Teddy home safely.

Bordon had slapped Teddy awake but she still seemed to be in some kind of shock. She was deathly pale, still trembling and would not speak to him when he asked her questions.

When he arrived at their tent he shouted to a passing sergeant for assistance. He handed her down, dismounted and took her back into his arms. Bordon then ordered the sergeant to take his horse back to the stables and fetch a doctor. Bordon carried Teddy into their tent and laid her down on the bed.

He sat next to her on the edge of the mattress and demanded, "What the hell were you doing out there alone?"

Tears welled up in her blue eyes and her chin quivered. Bordon instantly regretted his harshness. Teddy didn't speak, but she held up a trembling hand and slowly opened it. The crushed remains of some weedy looking vegetation had been clutched tightly in her hand the entire time. Pieces of stems were embedded in the palm of her hand.

He grimaced and gathered what was left, throwing it to the ground. As he inspected her hand he gingerly picked out the slivers that stuck to her skin.

"You went gathering flowers?" Bordon asked- a little more gently this time.

Teddy shook her head and then finally found her voice. "I…I…felt a cold coming on an…an..and I w-went to find rabbit tobacco. Th-those men chased me. I was just trying to get away."

Her tears ran down the sides of her pretty face. Bordon didn't know what to say. He was worried for her but he also wanted to throttle her. Not because she had done anything wrong. No, it wasn't that simple. He wasn't sure why he was angry but he was willing to bet it had something to do with the thought that he might have lost her. Or that whoever those men were, they might have done something vile to her. Both of which disturbed him greatly.

He sat with her until one of the doctors arrived and then stood by closely while she was examined and pronounced healthy. The doctor explained to Bordon that his wife was in fact in a bit of shock and that she should be kept comfortable, warm and rested until she recovered.

As soon as the doctor left, Bordon helped Teddy out of her gown and ordered her into bed for the day. For once, she didn't protest. She didn't protest when he ordered her to take some wine either and he watched her carefully sip at it until he was satisfied she had enough to calm her.

Teddy lounged around in bed for the rest of the afternoon while Bordon worked at his desk. She read for a while and worked on some mending she had been putting off. Every now and then Teddy would look up and find him watching her. It felt odd to her; he didn't normally pay her that much attention when he was busy at his desk. Maybe her little adventure had frightened him as much as it had her.

Colonel Tavington stopped by to see how she was doing and ask her a few questions about who and what she saw. She of course told him everything she knew and later was rewarded when he returned after searching for the villains with her basket; rabbit tobacco, knife and all.

After a supper of broth and toast-which for whatever reason Bordon decided was the only thing she could handle- Teddy went to sleep for the night.

Bordon knew she was asleep the instant he heard a feminine snore from her direction. Perhaps she was catching a cold just as she thought and he wondered how she would fare with it while he was away for a few days on his next patrol. Maybe he could say something to one of the doctors on his way out of camp. Then she would at least have someone to check on her.

He had never dreaded leaving her before. As a matter of fact, he usually looked forward to it. _Before. Before what?_ Everything seemed to come down to _before_. _Before_ he met Teddy. _Before_ he married Teddy. _Before_ he fell in love with Teddy.

_Oh shit!_

Bordon had certainly come to care for her but was he in love with her? Possibly. He wouldn't know. _How does one know?_ It didn't matter, he knew he couldn't keep her. His parents would never approve of her. And although he was well old enough to make his own decisions, it never seemed to work out that way with his family. Love was never a consideration. His own opinions were rarely a consideration. His parents couldn't just respect his decisions, they had to be a part of them.

Teddy had no inheritance, no dowry. She was not only a Colonist- which they would not appreciate- she was also of Irish decent, which his parents would _definitely_ not appreciate. On top of that she was common; her father was a minister, she had no connections and, she had been married before and had not produced any children. Not that Bordon wanted to raise Ramsey Edwards' children, but if Teddy couldn't have children, Bordon would have no heir.

To most second sons, that wouldn't matter so much. But to Bordon, it mattered a great deal. He stood to inherit about twenty-thousand pounds on top of a small estate in Scotland, none of which were entailed with his father's earldom for his brother, Richard to inherit. No, it would go to him from his mother's family. All that considered, he would still be expected to marry well.

Bordon stared at the paperwork on his desk as he heard a rumble of thunder in the distance. That too made him dread leaving again. More rain, more cold weather ahead made patrols muddy, nasty and miserable. For once he wished he could stay in a warm dry tent. Or even better yet, a house with four walls and a real roof over his head.

He heard Teddy stir and looked up. She was still sleeping, hugging her pillow like someone who enjoyed sleep. She hated storms. Bordon figured that out in the first few weeks that she stayed with him. He had the general idea that storms were the real reason she chose to sleep next to him instead of her cot. Granted, some nights were cold and it was nice to have the extra heat of her curled up next to him, but Teddy always seemed to huddle a little closer when a storm was blowing through.

Another rumble and a lightning flash and she sat bolt upward in bed. She looked around until she saw him and he noticed the look of uneasiness on her pale face.

"Go back to sleep, Teddy. Everything is all right."

Bordon watched as she closed her eyes and swayed. If he hadn't seen it himself he would have never believed a woman could sleep sitting up in bed. Sure, he had seen soldiers do it, but never a lady. He waited to see if she would lie down on her own and when she didn't, he picked up his candle and went to her.

He gently nudged her to lie down and when she did his hand passed over her ribs. A small cry escaped her lips as Teddy flinched and her eyes popped open. "I'm all right," she said a little too quickly.

"Teddy, what are you hiding?" Bordon asked. If one of those blackguards had harmed her….

"It's nothing," she said, her voice still thick from sleep. "I know you didn't mean to do it."

Now he was worried. "Mean to do what?"

She looked up at him and sighed, "Andrew it's nothing really. Just a little bit of bruising. My backside got the worst of it and yet I can still walk and sit. I'll be fine. Come to bed, I'm cold."

"Show me," he ordered.

"I'm fine," she insisted.

"Teddy," he warned.

"Oh for Heaven's sake, Andrew. You are more of a pain in my ass than your saddle," she complained. Shoving her covers down she flipped onto her belly and hiked her shift up, bearing her bottom and thighs. "There, are you happy? Have a good look!"

Sure enough her bottom had the perfect, darkened imprint of the pommel from his saddle. Bordon swore. He could just about make out the impressions of the leather stitching.

When he brushed his callused palm over her bottom to lift her shift higher, Teddy shivered and held her breath. She watched his face as Bordon examined the small fingerprint bruises on her ribs where he snatched her from the ground. She could still feel the soreness where his arm had nearly crushed her as well.

He sat there in silence and she knew what he was thinking. He had done this, he had caused her pain. But if he hadn't she could possibly be dead.

"Andrew, you didn't mean to…." Her words broke off as he leaned down and kissed the marks. All of them.

He turned from her and undressed- completely- and while he did so, Teddy reached up to unwrap his club and pull the braid from his hair as he sat to remove his boots. She moved over to give him room and he slipped into bed next to her, pulling her into his arms. The only thing that now separated them, was the thin fabric of her shift.

Whatever it was that came over him, Teddy was not about to deny. She had wanted this more than anything since Middleton Place, and now it seemed as though she would have it. Looking into the dark blue depths of Andrew's eyes she saw his lust and desire for her plainly. But there was something else there as well. It was as though they almost plead with her for understanding. So she gave it.

Bordon brought a hand to her face, smoothing back a strand of hair from her cheek. She was so damn pretty. He swore he would not do this, he knew it was wrong. Married or not they could not stay that way. Still, he wanted her so much and at the moment he could care less of the consequences.

He pressed his lips to hers as she held him, molding her body to his. His hands moved over her back, caressing, massaging, exploring, lowering to her bottom to press her more securely against him. Bordon wanted nothing more than to bury himself inside her, make her moan with pleasure just as he had done before. He broke their kiss just long enough to draw her shift up over her head and toss it aside. Teddy slipped her arms around his neck and said, "So help me God, Andrew, if you stop this, I swear I'll smother you with your pillow while you sleep."

Bordon's eyebrows raised at the threat and then he kissed her again, if only to shut her up. She needn't worry, he would not stop. He heard her gasp when his bare chest pressed intimately against hers. He knew what she felt, experienced the same sensation, felt her heart pounding against him in rhythm with his own.

Bordon wanted to know every inch of her. He lingered at her mouth for a while, then moved on, ravishing her neck with teeth and tongue. He lowered his head to caress and kiss her breast and the valley between, shivering slightly when her fingers curled in his hair.

He wished that time could stand still, that everything- the war, the world- would just go away and allow him this one moment with her. And for a few minutes it seemed to. All the stress, the tension and pressure he felt melted away with every stroke of her hand, every kiss that seared his skin until he felt like he could drown in her.

Bordon was just about to take her when Teddy surprised him by pushing his shoulders back to the bed, climbing astride him. She adjusted and a shudder of pleasure ripped through her as she sank down on him. She watched his face as she began to ride him. His eyes were dark and dilated, his gaze making her feel wanton and reckless. He felt perfect. Everything about him felt perfect. The tight muscles of his chest and belly, his hardened thighs, his battle scarred hands as they grazed over her from breasts to hips.

With a groan of deepest agony and pleasure, Bordon lost himself in her body. She shouted his name and he felt pressure gather in his loins at the sound of it just before she broke out into a string of the foulest curse words he had ever heard a woman utter. It was so like her and he actually laughed out loud.

Teddy looked down at him in shocked reverence and then she laughed too. The movement of their laughter caused a strange pang of pleasure for both of them and Andrew groaned again. He wound the ends of her hair around his fingers and drew her down to him, devouring her mouth with strokes of his tongue that matched the thrusts of his hips.

She was so close when Andrew turned her, sweeping her beneath him.

Bordon pounded into her with a raw surge of passion and male demand. He clutched her to him as he felt her fly apart with her release, and caught her lips again with primal growl and final shuddering thrust.

When they were both still, Bordon rolled them to their side and held Teddy against his chest. He pulled the covers up around them and closed his eyes, listening to her murmur something about hoping that he didn't catch her cold.

He felt ridiculously comfortable, not caring that the candle- what was left of it- was still burning. Bordon was too exhausted, too peaceful, too replete to care. He entwined Teddy within his arms and legs, exhaling a long sigh of satisfaction and slept to the sound of her breathing and the monotonous rain falling on the canvas tent.

* * *

Yeah...I know...


	8. Chapter 8

8.

Teddy woke to the sound of a steady rain on the roof of the tent. She shivered a little realizing she was still naked and rolled in search of Andrew's warmth. Instead of finding him, she found an empty spot.

Her head popped up from her pillow as she glanced around their shadowed tent. Bordon stood in front of the washstand adjusting the cravat that he always seemed to keep snowy white. He looked immaculate as always. His pistol buckets, bedroll and pack were by the tent flap.

He was leaving again.

As Teddy located her shift and a wrapper, he spoke to her.

"I'll be gone for a few days. Three, maybe four at the most."

She re-dressed in her night clothes, watching him intently as he slipped his jacket on, buttoned it and then added all the other accoutrements he was expected to wear as part of his uniform.

She stood silently beside him and when he turned lightly grippin her shoulders, she thought he might give her a kiss but instead she was startled to hear him say, "You look terrible."

"Thank you," Teddy muttered sarcastically. She didn't feel very well either. Her muscles were still very tight and tender, her sore throat had returned- or maybe it had never left, she wasn't sure. Her head also felt heavy and congested as well.

"Sorry," he said awkwardly, pushing past her, setting her aside. "I sent for hot water. I thought you might want to soak away some of the effects of yesterday's activities."

Something wasn't right. Something about his tone felt cool and overly formal.

"Andrew…..about last night, we're not….. getting an annulment….are we?" She asked tentatively.

"Of course we will. What happened last night- as enjoyable as it was- changes nothing," he answered with his back to her as he picked up his sabre, dropping the shoulder sling over his right shoulder and securing it at the hip. He turned to face her, his features that had softened for her the night before were now hard and stony again. "No one will know about any of this. You have nothing to fear."

Teddy's heart dropped and she felt queasy.

"You cannot be serious, Andrew. This changes everything. We can't annul this. We are married now," she said in disbelief. His unchanged expression told her he was very serious and she felt a knot begin to form in her chest. She swallowed it down and sadly asked, "Would it be so bad being married to me? I know I'm not the kind of wife you thought you wanted, but am I really that bad?"

He said nothing and he didn't have to, she could read it in his face. Teddy felt the rug slowly being pulled out from under her. Everything she had secretly hoped for happened last night and Teddy enjoyed it. She thought he had too. Now he would ruin what she thought they shared. She couldn't let him do it.

"What was that, Andrew?" She asked, gesturing towards the bed. "A quick tumble to satisfy an urge?"

"I thought you just wanted some physical intimacy," Bordon answered flatly.

Teddy visibly flinched. If he had punched her with his powerful fists, he could not have hurt her more.

"So you would divorce me now instead? That's what it is now, you know. I won't do it! I won't let you," she informed him bitterly. "You care for me I _know_ you do. Something happened. I felt it. I know you did as well. I must have been mistaken to think your feelings for me had changed. I apologize for being the kind of girl that still associates the acts of the marital bed with _marriage!_"

"Teddy we discussed this. This doesn't have to end with divorce."

"No, Andrew, we really haven't. Why exactly have you decided we should continue with a _divorce_?"

"I have other obligations. You know I have," he answered. He was trying to let her down easy. It was obvious and it felt really damned condescending to her.

"You think I'm not good enough for you." It was a statement, not a question. Teddy didn't need to hear his answer, she already knew it was true.

"This is not about what I think, Teddy. It is about how my family will react and what my father will say. I will lose everything if I don't do as he asks and marry the lady he wants me to marry."

"Do you always do as your father asks?"

"Yes, of course," he replied.

"Hmmm…I used to be like that," Teddy said sardonically.

"We have no choice…..I have no choice." He said, his resolve remaining intact despite her words.

Teddy could not believe what she was hearing. She became angry and so she lashed, "So this is what you become from living under his rule? The big tough British officer. With….with your stiff upper lip…all duty and honor bound? What about my honor? What if I carry your child? You would divorce me anyway and leave us both behind? What would your father think of that?"

Teddy was fighting him with the only method she knew. She mocked him, knowing it would make her look like an ass but no more so than he would feel like one. "The Honorable Captain Andrew Bordon…."

Standing at attention she sang, _"Ruuullleee Britania! Britania rule the waves!"_

Turning on her, Bordon demanded, "Why are you making this more difficult than it needs to be?"

She threw her arms out in frustration and shouted at him, "You know what? I give up! It doesn't matter!"

"Teddy, I…"

"You go on Andrew Bordon," she said with deadly calm, narrowing her eyes as if to curse him. She knew at that moment if she had any abilities with dark arts or witchcraft, she would have done exactly that. "You go back to England and marry you're precious, perfect English rose with her cold, cold heart. You live in a loveless marriage while she bears your heir and your spare- who will probably be someone else's by-blow. And when you're old and tired and dying…..I hope you think of me."

As she spat the words, Teddy knew they stung. She knew she was angry and acting petty and low. She didn't care. When he was gone, and there was nothing left but the sound of the rain, she realized she did care and that made the whole situation even worse.

Last night as she dozed off she felt cherished, peaceful and for the first time in months, secure with Andrew. Now she had no idea what would happen to them next. She felt used and whorish. Then Teddy suddenly felt sick to think it would be so easy for him to lie and get his annulment. He had said that no one would know. But she would always know and God knew, so in her mind and heart they were truly married. Andrew could call it whatever he wanted; it was divorce.

It all made the guilty feelings she was swallowing over Ram that much harder to take. She seemed to have fallen so hard and so fast that her first husband was almost forgotten in all this. She wondered if Ram would have thrown them together in such a way had he known where they would end up. Teddy loved Ram and she still missed him but she could not deny that she was in love with Andrew now. There was an intensity about Andrew that demanded it. Maybe that's what truly made her feel like a harlot.

Teddy finally sank down into the tub of bath water. It was a little warmer than she normally liked, but she barely felt the sting of the hot water on her skin.

She could smell him on her, still feel his touch, and she scrubbed as if that would make it go away. Yet somehow in the back of her mind she knew it wouldn't. She knew that while he was gone she would miss him and ache for him, and that's what seemed to make her most angry.

For the few days that he was gone, the weather cleared as The Green Dragoons escorted decoy supply wagons, hoping the Colonial Militia would take the bait. If they did, the Dragoons might be able to dampen some of the rebel activity. Although he had plenty to occupy his mind, during that time, Bordon was constantly reminded of the argument he had with Teddy before he left.

It started with some of his fellow officers asking about her well being. It seemed she had endeared herself to a few of them. Even though they had avenged her by capturing the group of deserters that had chased her, they were still concerned for her nonetheless.

With captured rebels in tow once their operation proved a small success, the Green Dragoons headed back to the fort.

On their way, they met up with Colonel Tarleton and part of his command with the actual supply wagon. Bordon was glad to see his comrades join them, his mood lightening for a moment because of Major Hanger's amusing comment about the need to escort Cornwallis's wardrobe. Hanger, waving his hand in the air, proclaimed that he would have rather lied in wait for a band of rebels than escort "The Emperor's" new clothes.

"Is something wrong, Captain?" Colonel Tarleton asked him after they had dropped back behind the others.

Bordon shook his head. "No, everything is fine. Why do you ask?"

"Mrs. Bordon is well, yes? She certainly gave me a scare yesterday."

"She is fine now," Bordon answered. "She was in a bit of shock naturally and she has some bruising, but nothing that won't heal."

_Except her heart, you coward…. _His conscience mentioned.

"You like her. don't you Bordy," the young pup officer teased. "You're wife, Theodora…..Teddy….adorable little temptress she is. I see it on your face Bordon, you like her."

Tarelton went on as if he were talking to himself, "At first I thought it was the challenge. She stands up to you. You need that….she's good for you. But now I wonder if you've developed something deeper than that."

Bordon moved his mount over to crowd Tarleton wishing him to take the deliberate snub as a cue to stop talking.

The colonel ignored him and continued, "I've seen the way you look at her, Bordy."

"With aggravation?"

His friend snorted a laugh, "What are you going to do about it?"

"What else would you have me do?" Bordon asked, his jaw hardening. "I'm sending her home to her family as I promised."

"You could keep her," Tarleton suggested lightly.

"Oh yes, my father would love that," Bordon scoffed. "Do you really think he would approve of me taking a preacher's daughter to wife?"

"You already have," Tarleton reminded. "And your mother and brother would not object, not if you are happy. You already have a living and the worst he could do is cut you off."

Banastre gave him a pitying look and Andrew felt like slugging him for it. Everyone was making too much of this.

"If you don't want her then at least let me have her," Tarleton said, his voice taking an almost commanding tone now. "I'll marry her and send her to my mother in England until this is over. At least she'd be taken care of, among people who would want her."

Bordon's eyes darted for an instant to make sure it was still Tarelton that was speaking. "You can't be serious."

"I am very serious," Tarleton warned. "She deserves no less. Perhaps Teddy and I would come to care for each other in a deeper sense. I already adore her, and I know she would give me beautiful children…"

"Enough, Ban. You're being ridiculous," Bordon finally snapped.

"Do you realize how ridiculous you sound? A man your age and accomplishments actually saying, 'My parents are going to murder me over this. I do not believe I've uttered such a phrase since I was fifteen."

Bordon had no answer and Tarleton was on a roll.

"You have something truly special like her and you're worried about what you might have to give up? Are you an idiot, man? I would drink her bath water to prove myself to her.

If I had to stay in the military till the day I die for a woman like the lovely Mrs. Bordon, I would do it in a heartbeat and to hell with what dear old mama and papa had to say about it."

Bordon thought about what Ban was saying. At first he couldn't believe he was actually listening to the advice given by a pup of six and twenty. He was even more shocked to realize he was actually taking that very same advice. His mind was now set.

"You're right," Bordon said after a minute of silence between them when Tarleton actually allowed him a word edgewise.

Tarleton glanced over, a startled expression settled on his youthful face.

"Pardon?"

"You are absolutely right," Bordon said keeping his gaze steady on the trail ahead.

"Well," Tarleton muttered with a smile. "if this isn't a red letter day….."

And from then on they rode together in silence. For that Bordon was grateful. He still needed to think. He would have to apologize to Teddy right away. He thought about the things they had said to each other and the look on her face while they said them. She had been angry and hurt but what she said had a nasty sting of truth. Lying about what they had shared would dishonor them both and what they shared had indeed been an act of love- for both parties involved.

When Bordon arrived at camp later that evening he found his wife on her cot in their tent. He tried to speak with her but she wouldn't respond and when he tried to touch her, she turned over and scowled at him with puffy eyes and a raw nose, snipping venomously, "Don't…..touch me."

When he asked her if he could bring her anything from the mess tent she ignored him. So he left her be and when he came back, he had his bath and turned in early.

Bordon couldn't sleep. Not without Teddy, or not without knowing that he had said his peace- whether she would listen to him or not.

He padded over quietly and stood next to her cot.

"Teddy," he said in a low voice. "There are some things I wish to discuss with you."

Teddy remained quiet and then from the darkness he heard her terse reply, "Too bad. I have nothing more to discuss with you."

"Good, maybe you will listen to what I have to say without interrupting for a change."

He heard her indignant gasp as he hoisted her up in his arms blankets and all and carried her to his bed.

Bordon sat with Teddy curled on his lap, still wrapped in her quilt cocoon. Only the top of her head peeped out, but she would not raise her face to look at him. He stroked her black satin hair with his hand, his heart shattering, knowing the small sounds she made were because he had made her cry.

"Oh, Teddy….I am sorry," he said wearily. "I am so sorry I even tried to fight this. You are a beautiful woman…one I don't deserve. I should have thought first. I was wrong and I apologize, dearest. Nothing has been the same since we married…nothing. I am not the same man I was, I don't think I ever will be again. I don't want to lose you. I will find a solution to all this, I promise. Please, all I am asking is that you trust me."

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So sowy for the cliffie people...Esther put me up to it!


	9. Chapter 9

Sorry for the short chapter. Again, quality over quantity.

Enjoy!

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9.

The following morning, Teddy Bordon' s mind was still sorting out all the things that Andrew had admitted to her the night before and the events that led up to it.

With her eyes still closed, she continued to feign sleep and stretched cat-like in her husband's arms, savoring the warmth of his body. Despite the late hour at which the two finally stopped talking in order to get some sleep, Teddy hadn't felt this well rested in ages.

When she finally decided to speak to Andrew they ended up talking for hours. What seemed like excuses to her at first became real concerns once he explained how conflicted he had been. His initial intentions towards her had been completely honorable and he felt that he was leaving her a way out. Although he was worried how his parents would react to the news he had married, he realized he was using that as a reason to deny her. He hadn't understood why his rejection mattered so much to her until Teddy admitted herself that she had developed very deep feelings for Andrew. Against her own better judgment and guilt over her seemingly lack of grief for Ram, she loved Andrew.

Teddy had been surprised when Andrew shared these thoughts with her. She had been even more surprised, to learn that Banastre had been Andrew's voice of reason. She had no idea what Ban had said to Andrew, and she didn't ask. She was just grateful that someone talked some sense into her stubborn husband.

Andrew was her husband now, of that she had no doubt. Of course she made him grovel a bit. No one would rightfully call her a proper wife otherwise. But Teddy hadn't really meant to hurt Andrew either and she apologized for the nasty things she had said to him. By the time they went to bed, they had pretty much hashed everything out.

They still had many details to work on. However, Andrew had promised her that in the event his family did reject her, he would do whatever it took - even keep his commission if need be- to make himself independent from the earl. Going home to Trenton or to Ram's family was completely out of the question now- that much was certain. So while Teddy was still very unsure about their future, she knew that Andrew loved and wanted her and she would follow him to the ends of the Earth.

At that particular moment, Teddy Bordon was exactly where she wanted to be. She was lazing in bed, enveloped by her husband's sleeping body, thinking about their prospects as a couple and in a general sense, feeling pretty good about them.

As she lay there day dreaming, Teddy felt certain parts of Andrew's anatomy rise long before he did. She reveled in it, knowing that it was hers now for the taking and she purposely wriggled her bottom a little closer to him.

"Mmm," he responded with a sleepy moan. Apparently she wasn't the only one day dreaming.

Andrew's arms sluggishly tightened around her like a steel band. The hand that normally rested carelessly across her ribs, found it's way to her breast and began kneading gently. He nuzzled his face through her hair and kissed the soft skin of her neck, raising goose bumps on her arms.

"Do you have any idea," he murmured, pressing his erection against her bottom and pushing her nightgown up with his hands. "how often I have wanted to wake you this way?'

The ring of delight she heard in his voice as he spoke so close to her ear reverberated over her body. Teddy smiled inwardly at the stir of desire that streaked through her and knew that it was going to be a glorious morning.

"At least as many times as I have, I'm sure," she answered.

If Bordon would have had enough wits about him at that moment, his jaw would have likely dropped. Her unwavering trust in him never ceased to amaze him. Once again it seemed as though she had given him the permission he wanted so badly to use her body as he desired. Not that he ever needed her permission. He had absolute rights over her and as her husband he could do with her whatever pleased him. But part of Teddy's appeal was her willingness to let him please her. She must know what kind of power her passion held over him- how she could easily manipulate him with it if she wanted to. Everything he used to demanded from his lovers, she now demanded from him. But that manipulation was not there. She didn't want him for promises of favors or money. She wanted him for him.

Bordon's hands slid higher, eventually pushing Teddy's nightgown off over her head and flinging it to the ground. Now she was completely naked and all his. Her back was pressed to his chest with his hands free to roam, taking in the feel her curves and skin, completely overwhelming his senses.

Teddy turned her head towards him for a kiss and covered his hands with her own. At first he thought she might move them away or attempt to still them. Instead, Teddy guided them where she lusted for his touch. The feel of her nipples tightened under his palms, her softness filling him with a sweet, hot ache.

Bordon pressed his hand against the dark thatch of curls covering her mound, deliberately, separating her thighs, lifting one and resting it over his hip. His fingers cruised lightly over her inner thigh, luring her back towards his throbbing erection with wicked caresses that made her open for him. He pushed inside, joining with her, filling her. The cry that came from her lips resonated with her desire. He wrapped one arm around her waist, anchoring her against him; his other hand still hot and hard on her breast. Holding her, he withdrew and thrust deep, fulfilling her, testing her to see how long she would tolerate every powerful stroke he could give her.

He heard her gasp and felt her body completely relax in his arms the instant she surrendered, leaving him to set the pace.

It was an awesome moment; one Bordon would have liked to savor. But his need for release was quickly rising hard and fast until it became too much to restrain. The frantic sounds she made were like a siren's song to his ears. He craved more of her; the taste of her, the scent of her, the feel of her bare bottom and thighs as he rode her while she held on for dear life.

He moved his hand from her waist and reached down to stroke her. Her body tightened pulling him with her. Higher and higher until they seemed to touched the sun and shatter with a cry from each of them. Hers tortured, his primitive.

Teddy lay limp against him like a rag doll, panting. Her uneven breath washed over his arms. Bordon gently disengaged from her and curled himself around her sweat slicked body, holding her while they recovered.

She had tried to truly become his wife the first time they made love but he wouldn't allow it. He was stupid and foolish enough to think he could simply abandon her. Not anymore. He committed himself to her last night emotionally and this morning was his commitment to her bodily. He almost felt as though he should say something until it dawned on him that nothing else needed to be said. They both understood what this was now.

She. Was. His. And he would never let her go.

Instead of attempting to find something witty or romantic to say, he laid quietly there with her, pecking her shoulders with his lips, stroking her hair away from her face. Teddy turned into his chest and dozed off, leaving him alone to reflect on his marital status.

The Honorable Captain Andrew Bordon was a married man. He had met his match, was mated for life and that was perfectly fine with him.


	10. Chapter 10

Okay guys and dolls! I know it's been forever and a day since I updated but you all know life happens. And boy has it ever. Sick kids, sick adults, sick computers and some insane even by Ohio standards weather! But I'm back now so please give me some love!

I really fought with this one. Esther can tell you how many times I wrote it, only to scrap it and start over. I lost sleep, I lost hair, but I never lost hope. So without further adieu...

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10.

On a cold but sunny January day, Captain Bordon stood silently, leaning against a tree on watch and maybe day dreaming about his wife just a little bit. It was too difficult not to. Ever since the day he decided he was keeping her and committed himself to her, he thought of little else.

He caught himself worrying for her just as he knew she was probably worrying over him. Mainly, because the troops were moving and a battle was about to take place. Bordon trusted that Teddy could handle breaking camp and moving alone; she had done so many times before. But there was always danger in that- even for a camp follower. Bordon was missing her terribly and hoped that he would have a chance to see her before they joined Tarleton where he was trying to cut off General Morgan's Continentals at the Broad River.

That's not to say Bordon was love sick in constantly thinking of his wife. But he knew he had much to make up for and he had some planning to do if he wanted to have any semblance of a comfortable life with her. He was unsure of where they would end up if he stayed in the military. They could get orders to Canada or when the rebellion was over maybe they could settle somewhere in the Frontier.

Teddy wasn't completely opposed to the idea- even with the knowledge of the hard work the Frontier-Canadian or Ohio, would require. And when she told him it couldn't be any harder than living as an army wife and she would gladly do that as well, his heart soared and he knew without a doubt, that Teddy was his girl. He married the right woman, even if he hadn't known it at the time.

But the truth was, Bordon longed for England. And even more than that, he longed for a little peace. So many of his friends had been killed already. He was tired of fighting, tired of training, tired of moving from pillar to post, tired of all the political shit that always seemed to be piling up and pulling him in all directions. He no longer gave a damn about capturing Ben Martin- who it was recently discovered, had been their "Ghost" the entire time. The two rebels were one and the same. Martin had made a fool of Cornwallis, because of that, Tavington was on the war path and Bordon could give a shit less.

Just weeks earlier the Green Dragoons had raided the home of a Mrs. Charlotte Selton in the hopes of drawing Martin out. Mrs. Selton was Martin's sister-in-law and it was thought that she might be hiding his children. When Colonel Tavington discovered the house was empty, he shot all the slaves and burned the entire property to the ground.

When the Dragoon's were still unable to capture Martin, Tavington received intelligence regarding the identities of Martin's men. Tavington began raiding along the Santee River, burning rebel homes and even killing a few civilians. That particular morning, he ordered a raid on a village that was known to aid the Colonial Militia, burning the church down with the entire village population inside. Bordon wondered for a moment how long it would be before they were receiving the retaliation from that brutality.

Simply put, Bordon was burnt out and secretly hoping that one day he could take his wife back to England to charm his family as she had charmed him. Then he would give her everything she could possibly want. When he told her this, she laughed and ordered a bathtub big enough for two and a massive bed like the one they shared but failed to take advantage of at Middleton Place. What Teddy didn't know, was that his estate in Scotland had all that and much more. He could only imagine her reaction to the library.

Bordon had already written to his brother Richard, hoping to gain his support. Richard was only two years older than Andrew and many times as children they had worked together, ganging up on their parents and wearing them down to get their way. It worked with things like choosing horses to buy, schools they wished to attend, holidays with friends. His brother even defended Bordon when the earl bulked at purchasing his captain's commission. Now he was hoping that his brother would side with him once more.

While Richard always trusted Bordon's instincts regarding what his "little brother" sought in life, Bordon was still conflicted about what he would tell his parents. How could he explain that although he found himself in these strange circumstances, he was content with it? Would his father actually cut him off? It wasn't so much that he feared their rejection of him anymore. He didn't want them to reject his wife. But if they made him choose, he knew what he wanted and what he wanted was Teddy. Only Teddy.

And so in the last few months Bordon had made a greater effort to get to know Teddy on a more personal level. And she seemed to respond to it by being a little more patient with him. She no longer snapped at the stupid or insensitive things he said. Instead, she would simply ask him to clarify his meaning rather than fly off into one of her annoying and irrelevant little tangents. It was entertaining sometimes to watch her periwinkle eyes narrow for a split second as her mind processed her thoughts, but at least now she could bite her sharp little tongue before going on the defense.

Bordon also felt as though he had allowed himself to become closer to her as well, dropping his gaurd a bit, letting Teddy actually _be_ his wife. In doing so, he found that he enjoyed her attentions and rather than dread it, he looked forward to seeing her each time he returned to camp. She was smart, had insane skills with a needle and thread and was very compassionate towards the younger soldiers in the camp. Some of the lads being so young, they looked to his wife as an adoptive mother, seeking advice or just a friendly face to talk to.

Although Teddy was always misplacing her own belongings, she had a knack for foraging for things that were thought to be impossible to find. It was almost like a game and sometimes he caught himself asking for unreasonable things, challenging her to find them. As an officer, Bordon couldn't ask for a better wife.

One night, he returned to find that Teddy had managed to get her hands on a bottle of the much coveted Madeira and a well read copy of _Memoirs of a Woman of Pleasure_. At first, it continued shocked him to think of his wife reading such a book. But he creatively turned the tables on Teddy when he climbed into bed beside her as she started to read and asked her to skip to the "good parts." The look on her face was priceless. That was when Bordon recognized that expectant look for what it really was.

The time she added the tent fly, the kiss at the stables, her behavior at the ball, all the times she made supper for his men or did something nice for them. When Teddy gave him _that look _he always felt like she wanted something from him- that she was trying to wheedle something out of him. He was wrong. It was never done as a power grab or to manipulate him as he originally thought. Instead, that whole time, all she wanted was his approval.

Soon after, Bordon began to enjoy doing little things to seek her approval as well.

At Christmas he had managed to surprise her with a small bag of pecans and a few oranges. When Teddy oh'ed and ah'ed over the precious fruit and then promptly asked him what it was, he realized she had never eaten an orange before. She carefully watched him peel the orange after he stopped her from biting directly into it. It made the entire experience of sharing the orange all the more amusing for him, and he actually laughed at her expression on her first taste. It was odd how things had changed so quickly between them. He would probably never figure it out.

Still, even with that little bit of closeness, some topics had to be approached carefully- such as her relationship with Ram. Bordon didn't want the gory details but there were certain things he wanted to know. As Teddy began to disclose the details of her life to him, Bordon began to see a different side of his wife.

He was saddened to find out that his little Teddy- for reasons she never fully understood- had always been the black sheep of her family. It had been tough for Teddy growing up in a home where she never seemed to fit in. Even worse, was trying to fit into a community that held her to different standards because she was a minister's daughter. She was always expected to behave, could never just be herself, not knowing who she could trust or who might report to her father any misdeeds she might have committed- imagined or real. As a member of the English Peerage, Bordon could relate to some of that.

Teddy had never truly been happy in Trenton and when her younger sister Emily died, she felt like she had nothing left to keep her there. When she met Ramsey Edwards, she saw the dashing, young captain as a way to escape her unhappiness at home. At the same time, Ram needed a wife. Running off to marry someone her parents didn't exactly approve of, was just one more way for the young girl to get even with their high handedness. And so, at the tender age of seventeen, Theodora Whelan became an army wife.

Luckily for her Teddy confessed, Ram treated her very well. And although she was so young at the time, she eventually came to love her first husband much in the same way she came to love Bordon. Teddy also told him that sometimes it still made her feel guilty; as if she had replaced Ram with another.

As easy as it was to gain intelligence from his network of spies and scouts, prying into his wife's emotional state was an entirely different issue, but Bordon had to ask, "Why do you feel guilty, love?"

Teddy smiled faintly and said, "Because I loved him… And I love you…..yet I can't help but wonder if he would think I replaced him. With you, everything just happened so fast."

"Have you replaced him with me?" Bordon asked when she told him that.

"No, Andrew," she answered with a heavy sigh. "No. As much as the two of you had in common…..as good friends even, the two of you are night and day. Ram would be making jokes right now in an attempt to comfort me or try to cajole me into bed and make me forget whatever I was anxious about. It used to drive me mad. Especially when the topic of discussion was a serious matter. But….you're not like that at all. And that's a good thing, Andrew."

"All things considered, I would think myself very fortunate to have found love twice in one lifetime," he said after giving it some thought. "Most people are not even fortunate enough to have found it once."

Bordon found out that Teddy had actually wanted children with Ram- very badly. But a few months into their marriage Ram contracted a case of the mumps. Never having the disease as a child, it settled on Ram in a savage way, rendering him unable to sire children. When Teddy told Bordon about it, he was blown away, considering that women usually took the blame for a couple's infertility.

In Bordon's experience men usually wanted children for two reasons. One, because they needed an heir to inherit their estate and two, because their women folk insisted on it. If a man's wife wanted a child, then it seemed the man also wanted a child. Bordon always thought he fell into the first category, but he had been wrong about that too.

This whole time Bordon assumed that it was Teddy who could not conceive.

Now, realizing that it just might be possible to have children with her, Bordon was filled with a myriad of mixed emotion. Then it dawned on Bordon that he would be agreeable with fatherhood if it weren't for the fact that he and Teddy were in the middle of a damn war.

Even with the danger of a war, their married life was certainly favorable for a happy event to take place. What little amount of time they were able to spend together always allowed for it. Whether Bordon was home for one day or one week, he and his wife always seemed to have time for their mutual pleasure. He was starting to become accustomed to it now and couldn't believe that at one time he had resigned himself to a life with anyone other than Teddy. Bordon also realized Teddy could already be with child but it was probably too soon to know for certain.

In fact, just before he left for the patrol he was now on, he had taken her hard and fast amid the paperwork and quills on his desk. At the time, it was meant to be a last minute romp to hold them both over until they were together again. But later Bordon had to admit-even if just to himself- that it had been rather satisfying to know, that as Tavington was chewing his arse over his smudged reports and blatant tardiness, Teddy was probably in the tub trying to scrub her very inky bottom. And when Tavington suggested that perhaps Bordon needed a new blotter, it was all the captain could do to keep his composure. The thought made him chuckle to himself and he glanced over his shoulder to see Tavington squatting in the creek bed, shaving. If only Tavington knew where those reports had been…

With his new understanding of Teddy, Bordon soon decided that instead of rambling through life with her as Ramsey Edwards had done, he would make plans. Plans that would not only see to their future as a couple, but would also see his wife taken care of in the event of his death. Changing his will and contacting his brother were a start, but he still had a few details to take care of. He would not leave her hanging as her first husband had. And from that point on, all of their future dreams and plans were always spoken of as in 'someday, after this war is over'.

"Someday, Andrew, after this war is over….." she'd say.

"Perhaps if I get orders to Canada…" he would ponder aloud.

"Someday…"

"After the war…."

And so on it went. Someday. After the war.


	11. Chapter 11

_"These are the times that try men's souls." _

_~Thomas Paine, The Crisis, 1776_

Teddy Bordon stared at the hospital cot she just finished making up with great longing. She wished she could lie down for just a few moments and rest but unfortunately there was too much to do. Teddy's nap would have to wait.

It seemed anymore that she could never quite get enough sleep anyway. She always felt fatigued, and what little sleep she could manage never seemed to refresh her. Andrew being away never helped matters, and then to top it off, the order was sent out to break camp and start moving. The British were heading toward battle, she knew the routine and the move hadn't bothered her. What made it so difficult, was that Andrew was not back from patrol yet.

Teddy took the corners of her shawl in each hand and wrapped it a little tighter, tucking the ends under her arms as she crossed them. She stepped outside and glanced up and down the row of tents to see if her husband might suddenly come into view. As if she could actually _will_ him to come to her.

Andrew's absences were something Teddy would never become accustomed to. As an Infantry officer, her late husband had been home most nights. Unless of course his regiment was preparing and moving for battle. And it wasn't so much that she missed Captain Bordon's company- although she did- desperately. It was more than that. She worried for Andrew's safety as well now that she was starting to feel more like his wife.

And she had much to tell him.

That morning of January sixteenth the mail had caught up with camp and along with a large stack of correspondence for Andrew, Teddy received two letters. The first of which was from Mr. Ramsey Edwards Sr. It was exactly what she expected; a wishy washy letter that said the family would love to have her. Yet when Teddy read between the lines, she felt their apprehensiveness over accepting a new daughter. No matter, because it was the second letter from her own mother that shocked her.

_My dearest Teddy,_

_How happy I was to receive your letter. It has been too long since I last saw you or heard from you. I was very sorry to read that you lost your husband at Camden. Please know that although it did not appear so at the time, I was pleased that you married Captain Edwards and left this place. It is my hope that your marriage to him brought you some form of happiness while it lasted._

_I know you must be shocked that I have written such a thing but I also know what a tyrant your father could be. I am sorry that his harsh ways drove you to the point of running away. There are so many things I would like to tell you. So many things I should explain. _

_Above all, I want you to understand that you and you sister were always wanted and loved by me. However, I was in no position to defy your father and so the only thing left to do was protect you from his wrath as much as I could, for as long as I could. _

_The Reverend might have said that you made your bed but the truth is, your father is now dead. I am sorry if that shocks you. I do not mourn the loss and neither should you. _

_I would be delighted to have you come home to me. However, I must tell you that due to the current circumstances, the trip could be very dangerous for you and I understand if you decide to stay put a while longer._

_I am eagerly awaiting your reply._

_Affectionately,_

_Mother_

Teddy's mouth gaped as she read the letter a second time. Then her mind reeled as she read it a third. All those years suffering her father's abuse and not one word of understanding from her mother. Hell, she always thought her mother was on _his_ side. Neither letter made a difference at all now; they may as well never come. Teddy's heart was entirely with Andrew, she would never leave him.

She loved him. And in loving him she discovered Andrew had a certain way about him that Teddy had never experienced before with any man- let alone Ram. For one thing, he didn't coddle and patronize like some men did. No, Andrew actually expected her to carry on intelligent conversations. Oh sure, he would jest and tease her in ways that made her realize that while Ram was the more jovial one of the two men, Andrew had a very subtle sense of humor. But he was very amusing none the less and Andrew also proved to be more affectionate than Teddy would ever guess him to be. As stoic and reserved as he was in his outward appearance, she was treated to a side of him few people knew existed.

In the previous months there had been times Teddy thought Andrew looked down his nose at her- as if she were beneath him. But knowing him as she did now, she understood it was never intentional. Andrew simply did not know what to make of someone like Teddy. After all, he was just a man. While he still confounded her at times, she was learning not to take his grumbled comments personally. The stress he was under always seemed to be the reason. It couldn't be easy with Colonel Tavington as his commander. Teddy tried to be as accommodating as possible. They were both learning, but more than that, they were set on making their marriage work.

Maybe, she reckoned, the difference was in the fact that she was no longer a seventeen year old naive little girl anymore. Andrew made her feel beautiful and cherished, worshipped and maybe just a little bit naughty sometimes. Not because he filled her head with pretty words, but because he showed her. And even in his absence, just the thought of his touch and his kiss could make the heat flood her body.

Teddy sighed and turned her face to the sun. It was late in the day but the sunlight felt good. For once it wasn't raining and she wished even more so that Andrew was there with her to enjoy the weather. Rain or shine, she would be happy if she could see him right now.

Just as Teddy turned to go back inside and finish a few more chores, an apothecary's apprentice stepped out, nearly colliding with her. She could hear a commotion going on inside and was even more surprised when the apprentice took her arm and tried to lead her away.

"You cannot go in right now, Mrs. Bordon," he said as he nervously glanced over his shoulder.

"Why ever not?" Teddy asked shrugging him off with a tinge of irritation. Then she noticed the grim expression on his face.

"It's your captain, ma'am," the apprentice answered solemnly. "He's been injured very badly. The surgeons are tending to him now. You must wait here with me until they tell me you can see him."

"Wait….what?" Teddy asked. Something inside her chest jerked. She didn't understand what he was telling her. It was as if he had just told her Andrew had been injured, so she corrected him.

"Mr. Thompson, Captain Bordon is on patrol."

"Mrs. Bordon, please try and remain calm and listen carefully," she heard him say. And then as her mind began to comprehend what he was telling her, his words seemed to distort and his explanation began to sound like babble and she could only manage to catch a few words. Something about an ambush attack by rebels, then something about Andrew being stabbed. Was he talking too fast? She must have been staring at him in a strange way because he took her arm again and guided her to a bench and sat down with her. He was so young.

"How old are you, Mr. Thompson?" Teddy blurted out, startling him a bit.

"Seventeen, ma'am," Thompson answered cautiously.

"Mrs. Bordon, do you understand what I've just told you?" He asked after a pause. "When they let you in to see him you must prepare yourself. Your husband laid at the attack site for hours, ma'am. He has lost too much blood. Captain Bordon is in shock and he is very cold. If he wakes, he might seem a little addled."

"You say he was stabbed, Mr. Thompson?"

"Yes, ma'am?"

"Is my husband dying?"

Was that her voice? It sounded as if it were someone else asking instead of her.

"I'm afraid so, ma'am," Thompson answered regretfully.

"Thank you for your honesty, Mr. Thompson."

Teddy stood up and went to the tent flap, pushing her way inside. This time the young Mr. Thompson did not try to stop her.

When she saw Andrew, she wished he had. Nothing could have prepared her for seeing Andrew in the condition he was in. Teddy had never seen him look so pale and waxen. Each individual freckle that she had memorized over the last five months contrasted against the ashen skin of his nose and cheeks. Even his lips seemed to be void of any color although she did notice a dark bruise on his right jaw. He was very still and she studied him carefully, watching to see if his chest continued to rise and fall before she went near him.

One of the orderlies that was normally in charge of removing the dead was kneeling a bit too closely to Andrew for Teddy's liking and she shouted at him.

"What are you doing?"

The boy jumped and defensively answered, "Nothing ma'am. I was just checking the packing as Dr. Stevens asked. That's all."

"I'll not have you sewing him into his blanket before he's taken his last breath, do you hear me?"

"I wouldn't think of it, ma'am," the boy answered as Teddy pushed him out of her way. She checked the packing herself. It was dry and that was a good thing.

One of the surgeons spoke to her for a few minutes. Teddy's eyes never left Andrew. She listened to him say something about her husband's injuries. Two stab wounds and a crack on the jaw with a musket butt. That was all, but it was still enough to kill him.

Andrew opened his eyes and stared up at her. His deep blue gaze was clouded and he had some trouble focusing on her face.

"I'm sorry, Teddy, my dearest love. It's not very fair is it?" He muttered weakly.

Normally Teddy would answer a question like that with a quip about life not always being fair, but this time it wasn't fair. This was her man. The man she should have always been with from the very start. _Her man. _She wasn't sure she could go through this again, but here she was….

"No, Andrew, it's not fair….to either of us."

"They just….came up over the ridge…..from nowhere….about a score of them…" Andrew struggled to explain.

"Shhhh, Andrew," Teddy soothed. "You'll exhaust yourself trying to speak too much. Mr. Thompson told me what he knew. Although I daresay I don't understand what's gotten into Colonel Tavington or why he would do such a thing."

Teddy had often found when she sat with a patient that if she fussed over them a bit she could distract them. And if she spoke fast enough they would barely get a word in and eventually give up and rest while she chattered about trivial things. When she noticed that Andrew still wore his boots it gave her something else to fuss over. She gently pulled them off and removed his stockings. His feet were freezing and she asked the same orderly she had shouted at earlier to fetch some hot bricks. The boy obeyed and Teddy smiled at her husband as he sighed when she tucked them into his blankets.

She was just straitening up when he said very randomly, "Teddy….don't forget about me."

Before she could reach his side, his eyes rolled back and closed.

Minutes later Teddy ran from the hospital tent retching. She couldn't decide which was worse, losing the entire contents of her stomach, or dry heaves. She had been determined she would not cry. Not now. Not where anyone could see her. She would make Andrew proud of her- just as she had done with Ram- rather than carry on as some women did in times of such crisis.

Some might think it silly to think of things like that in a time like this. Some might think her to be very cold or uncaring. She might consider telling them to kiss her ass. How could they possibly understand what she felt when she barely understood it herself? Yet she was determined, she would stay strong.

_For Andrew._

Someone shoved a handkerchief in her face and asked if she was alright. It was like déjà vu and if it came with a marriage proposal, Teddy was very likely to throttle someone. She turned to find Colonel Tavington standing behind her and without realizing it, her eyes narrowed at the man who had caused her husband to suffer.

If Andrew hid his emotions from the world with his reserved nature, Tavington wore his as plain as day and right now he didn't look too happy. But Teddy didn't have time for him and she never really liked him much in the first place. The burning of the church in Pembroke that resulted in the rebel attack only cinched that dislike.

"How is the captain, Mrs. Bordon?"

Teddy stared at him for a moment, not really sure of what to say.

"Go see for yourself, Colonel," she finally responded.

"I can't help but feel partly responsible for what happened today."

"Partly?" Teddy mocked, her hands and knees shaking with her rising anger. "How ironic, Colonel, I was just thinking that you are _entirely_ responsible. Your need to capture this Martin fellow borders on obsession. And for what? FOR WHAT! He slaughtered _all _your men and you still cannot catch him!"

Teddy turned on her heel, leaving Tavington standing alone with his guilt and his look of surprise. She was too angry and had too much to do to fear that he would have her arrested. And with that thought, she realized she had just slapped him and at the same time, assaulted an officer. She actually laughed for a moment. But by the time she reached her tent, the laughter turned into sobs.

Inside the Bordon's tent someone had left Andrews riding helmet and gear on the bed. Thankfully, they must have found it before the looters did, although his saber and pistols were missing.

Teddy wiped her eyes on her sleeve and sat down. She picked up Andrew's helmet and thought of that first time she kissed him, that look on his face as she pulled his face closer by his chin strap. She ran her fingers over the fur crest and along the satin sash band. And just as she was thinking that he would never wear it again, Teddy felt something hard under the band, tucked away into the neat folds. Curious as to what it was, Teddy worked the object out until it lay in her hand.

It was quite mangled but Teddy recognized the shining silver piece as soon as she saw it. It was her aigrette. Teddy was stunned. She had searched for the hair clip for days, even arguing with Andrew about it. She had no idea where or when her husband found it, but there it was. For whatever reason Andrew kept the battered thing, never once mentioning that it had been found.

Andrew was right, this wasn't fair. Teddy felt so angry.

She threw the aigrette across the tent, watching it smack against the canvas and fall to the ground. Then she picked up his helmet and sent it flying as well with an unladylike roar of frustration.

"GOD DAMN IT!" She screamed and then fell to her knees with a whimper.

When there no longer seemed to be any tears left to shed, Teddy got up and went over to Andrew's desk. She sat down and began to write to letters.

One to her mother, the other, to his.


	12. Chapter 12

For Janeen and Esther...

12.

_January, 1782_

_He stared at her very intently, studying her, memorizing her face as if he might forget who she was when he woke again. _

_Her blue eyes stared back. She smiled and said something to him which he could not understand but felt soothed by anyway. Just a few moments ago he was feeling cranky, tired and maybe just a bit hungry. And there she was, whisking him away to someplace quiet where they could rest and she could comfort him. _

Teddy Bordon relaxed against the plush sofa where she had situated herself with her infant son, Patrick. It had been quite a long journey from the Colonies to Hampshire and on to her new home nestled in the lowlands of Scotland. She would be the new mistress here and someday, Patrick would be master.

At five months old, Patrick Bordon was a pretty baby. Even his grandpa, the earl, agreed. He was already proving to be as strong as his papa and at times as stubborn as his mama, and Teddy absolutely adored him. With Teddy's dark hair and his father's eyes, Teddy was certain Patrick would someday break hearts all over the world.

But for now, the baby was tired and over-stimulated from travel. He had proven himself to be a good little sailor and traveler-even in the dead of winter. But a baby could only take so much and Teddy was also relieved to be away from the curious eyes of the new staff.

She looked down at her son at her breast and watched his eyes become heavy, eventually closing the delicately lashed lids as he nursed himself to sleep.

_Such a pretty baby…_

Bordon reached over and stroked his son's cheek with the back of his finger. Then he fluffed the baby's dark curls with his thumb. Patrick sighed, heavenly contented. It made Bordon smile; he couldn't blame the little fellow.

Was it possible his son already knew how much he was loved and adored? Whether he understood or not, the baby thrived on it.

He looked down at his wife, who was resting her head in the crook of his shoulder. She had her eyes closed as well and looked so blissfully peaceful he almost resisted the urge to peck her lips with a gentle kiss. Almost.

Teddy responded with a dreamy smile.

Suddenly the intensity of what he felt for her became almost overwhelming to Bordon. For a brief second, time seemed to stand still and his love for her stared him straight in the face, hitting him full force. They had journeyed so far in so many ways and they hadn't even been married two years. Teddy had transcended from someone Bordon could barely tolerate to the center of his Universe. He never wanted her to change, yet he knew she would, and if he were a lucky enough man, he would continue that journey with her.

There had been countless times in the past year that Boron truly thought he wouldn't be given that joyful opportunity. During that time Teddy rarely left his side. Through the slow, painful recovery of his injuries and the series of fevered infections and jaundice that followed, Teddy cared for him, tended to his every need, fussed over him and fought for him during the entire ordeal. Even as she carried his child, she had been like a terrier with a rat. Teddy never once gave up or complained even when Bordon wanted to. To think he had ever considered leaving her behind as if he could simply forget her made him sick now.

In fact, it had been her steadfastness and determination to see Bordon hale and hardy again that had won Teddy the favors of Lady Westcliff. Once his mother teamed up with his wife, they became a force to be reckoned with. His poor father had no choice but to concede that his new daughter in law- his _American_ daughter in law- might possibly be deserving of their son and everything that came with him. When Westcliff witnessed firsthand how well Teddy cared for his grandson, she had his devotion as well.

Teddy had single handedly made every one of Bordon's dreams come true without even realizing it. He was not a religious man, yet everyday he woke next to her he was thankful that whatever powers that be had thrown them together. Was he besotted? He didn't care. He was going to relish it while it lasted.

Later, after Bordon managed to get Teddy to pass the baby off to his highly overpaid and under worked nanny, he made an effort to repay her. It was a small measure; a miniscule grain of sand compared to what he felt he owed her.

Teddy was exhausted from the traveling and Bordon felt like he could use some rest as well. The quiet time in the library had not only been for Patrick's benefit but had also allowed his parents time to catch their breaths. It also made Bordon realize this was the first time in weeks he could have his wife all to himself.

When Andrew suggested they retire for the evening, Teddy weakly protested claiming it was far too early. But the lure of a bath and bed was too much to resist. She let Andrew lead her to the master bedchamber and for the first time in their marriage, climbed into the awaiting tub _with_ him. Remarkably, they both fit and Teddy sighed with a smile as she leaned back against her husband's chest.

She never imagined this would ever come to be. So many times since the attack Teddy thought she would lose Andrew forever. Every time he pulled through, she wondered how much more his body would tolerate before it eventually gave up and killed him. He was so much stronger now. She would let him care for her, knowing from now on, they would care for each other.

Watching the wisps of steam rise, Teddy relaxed as Andrew picked up a cake of soap and began his ministrations. His big soapy hands moved over her, washing her weariness away. Through the water, a glint of light caught on the wedding band he now insisted upon wearing no matter how his wife teased him about how unfashionable it was. Teddy smiled, glancing down at her own new, gold band. It was the inscription in the gold that always seemed to tug at her heart.

_My beloved is mine, and I am his._

"How many times I thought of this with you," Andrew spoke low against her ear. His hand rested across her chest and she lifted it and kissed it, holding it against her face. His voice caressed her skin. "I dreamt of it every time I had to leave you."

"I wanted to win you, Andrew," Teddy confessed randomly.

"Win me?" He sounded perplexed.

Teddy nodded slowly as she explained.

"Fair and square. At Middleton Place. Do you remember? That massive bed? I don't believe it's quite as large as yours," she said gesturing to the sumptuous looking bed waiting at the other side of the room. "But we could have slept anywhere on it without coming close to touching each other. When I woke in the morning, there we were, in the middle of the bed wrapped up in each other. I knew then that I wanted you….that I never wanted to be in anyone else's arms again….that I wanted to win you over. I love you, Andrew, very much."

"And I love you, Teddy," he said a touch softer this time. "My only regret was refusing to admit it sooner. You have made me so happy that I am certain whatever you ask for I will make yours. Always."

"All I want is you." she said. Then after a pause she turned her head to look at him. "Always."

Andrew was smiling; a real smile that reached his eyes and pulled at a dimple in his cheek Teddy never noticed until now. Teddy couldn't help but smile back.

"I think I'm going to enjoy being spoiled by you, Captain Bordon. I think I'm going to enjoy it very much."

Suddenly his eyes flickered. He looked like a boy-a very wicked boy- and his hands began to do something naughty beneath the water.

"And I think I'm going to enjoy the spoiling, Mrs. Bordon," he replied nipping at her neck.

"Good."

"Mmmm….very good," he agreed.

Bordon kept her there in that master chamber as much as possible for nearly a week. His only excuse was that they had never experienced a honeymoon and after such a long journey they deserved a good long rest- although they didn't do much resting. In fact, it was during that first week in Scotland that their oldest daughter was conceived- followed by three more daughters and two more sons.

Through the years Teddy Bordon kept her promises just as Andrew kept his. Where ever Andrew went, Teddy gladly followed until he was eighty-three. Then, she kept her second promise. For another ten years, she never forgot him until she followed him one last time...

But rest assured dear readers, in case there was ever any doubt, The Bordon's did indeed live happily ever after with their children, grandchildren and the occasional visit from Banastre Tarleton, who became affectionately known by the children as "Uncle Ban."

~ The End!


End file.
